Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund Increases Stock Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Fjarde AP Fonden boosted its Union Pacific stake by 30.9% in the first quarter, adding 51,350 shares to reach 217,576 shares valued at about $52.8 million.
• Union Pacific recently beat quarterly expectations, reporting EPS of $2.93 versus the $2.86 estimate and revenue of $6.22 billion, up 3.2% from a year earlier.
• The stock continues to draw mixed signals: analysts keep a Moderate Buy consensus and the company pays a 2.0% dividend yield, but it also faces a class-action lawsuit tied to alleged chemical dumping near Wichita neighborhoods.

Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund increased its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 30.9% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 217,576 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 51,350 shares during the quarter. Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $52,788,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Key Financial Inc increased its stake in Union Pacific by 2.1% in the first quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 1,821 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $442,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. EJMK Ventures LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 4.0% during the first quarter. EJMK Ventures LLC now owns 1,016 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $247,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 6,637 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,535,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Fairvoy Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.8% during the first quarter. Fairvoy Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,156 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $280,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% during the first quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,096 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $508,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Key Union Pacific News

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Union Pacific is drawing support from a positive earnings outlook, as analysts expect its upcoming quarterly report to show single-digit bottom-line growth, keeping expectations for a solid results season in place. Union Pacific's Quarterly Earnings Preview: What You Need to Know
• Positive Sentiment: Another note pointed to Union Pacific shares gaining after quarterly revenue growth, suggesting investors are reacting favorably to operational improvement and better top-line performance. Union Pacific NYSE: UNP Shares Gain After Quarterly Revenue Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage sentiment remains constructive, with Union Pacific receiving a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy,” which can help support the stock. Union Pacific Corporation NYSE: UNP Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are also watching broader rail industry trends, including rising intermodal volumes and higher fuel/trucking costs that are affecting major U.S. railroads, though the impact on Union Pacific specifically is less clear. Rising intermodal volume slows big four U.S. rail systems
• Negative Sentiment: A Kansas federal court granted class action status in a lawsuit alleging Union Pacific historically dumped carcinogenic chemicals near Wichita neighborhoods, increasing legal and reputational risk for the company. Lanier Law Firm: Class Action Certified Against Union Pacific for Dumping Carcinogenic Chemicals in Historically Black Wichita Neighborhoods

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $282.50 on Friday. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $267.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $252.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53. The stock has a market cap of $167.73 billion, a PE ratio of 23.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.96. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $210.84 and a fifty-two week high of $282.80.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $6.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.12 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.20% and a return on equity of 39.58%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.70 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 29th were given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.47%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $274.00 target price (up from $253.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Robert W. Baird set a $311.00 target price on Union Pacific and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on Union Pacific from $289.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Raymond James Financial set a $310.00 price target on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $283.11.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, CFO Jennifer L. Hamann sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.70, for a total transaction of $549,400.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 114,642 shares of the company's stock, valued at $31,492,157.40. The trade was a 1.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.76, for a total value of $7,442,691.12. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 61,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,605,079.52. This represents a 30.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 32,378 shares of company stock valued at $8,781,595 in the last quarter. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Profile

Union Pacific Corporation NYSE: UNP is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific's core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.

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