Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. Buys 8,925 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 10.6%, acquiring an additional 8,925 shares, bringing its total ownership to 93,337 shares valued at approximately $21.47 million.
• Union Pacific recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.38 per share, resulting in an annualized yield of 2.4% and a dividend payout ratio of 47.96%.
• Analysts have predominantly rated Union Pacific as a "Moderate Buy," with an average price target of $261.08; recent adjustments include an increase to $286.00 by Sanford C. Bernstein.

Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 10.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 93,337 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 8,925 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $21,475,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Nuveen LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth about $988,822,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 29.8% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,699,109 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $873,878,000 after buying an additional 850,025 shares during the period. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 61,054.6% in the 1st quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 625,000 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $147,650,000 after buying an additional 623,978 shares during the last quarter. Menora Mivtachim Holdings LTD. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $115,096,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its position in Union Pacific by 10.8% during the 1st quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 4,626,200 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,092,893,000 after purchasing an additional 452,788 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Baird R W raised shares of Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. Barclays downgraded shares of Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Loop Capital raised shares of Union Pacific from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $214.00 to $227.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $261.08.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $225.54 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.65. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $224.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $224.30. The stock has a market cap of $133.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.60, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $256.84.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.The company had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.74 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th were issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is 47.96%.

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.

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