Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. Takes $11.16 Million Position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Key Points

• Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. invested approximately $11.16 million in Union Pacific Corporation by acquiring 47,243 shares during the first quarter.
• Analysts have mixed ratings for Union Pacific, with one analyst rating it as a sell, eleven as hold, fourteen as buy, and two as strong buy, resulting in a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".
• Union Pacific recently increased its quarterly dividend from $1.34 to $1.38, resulting in an annualized dividend of $5.52 and a dividend yield of 2.5%.

Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm purchased 47,243 shares of the railroad operator's stock, valued at approximately $11,161,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% in the first quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 50.5% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL grew its position in Union Pacific by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IMA Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $43,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. Robert W. Baird began coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price objective for the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Citigroup lowered shares of Union Pacific from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and decreased their target price for the company from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP traded up $4.40 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $223.20. The company's stock had a trading volume of 3,096,756 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,455,412. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $227.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $230.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $132.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.74 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.