IFM Investors Pty Ltd Sells 26,206 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• IFM Investors Pty Ltd reduced its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation by 15.2%, selling 26,206 shares, leaving them with a total of 146,557 shares valued at approximately $34.6 million.
• Union Pacific recently reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, surpassing analyst estimates and showing year-over-year revenue growth of 2.4%.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, reflecting a 2.6% dividend yield and a payout ratio of 47.96%.

IFM Investors Pty Ltd trimmed its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 15.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 146,557 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 26,206 shares during the period. IFM Investors Pty Ltd's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $34,623,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Focus Partners Wealth grew its position in Union Pacific by 36.4% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 179,427 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $42,388,000 after purchasing an additional 47,924 shares during the last quarter. Integrity Alliance LLC. grew its position in Union Pacific by 625.2% in the 1st quarter. Integrity Alliance LLC. now owns 50,119 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $11,840,000 after purchasing an additional 43,208 shares during the last quarter. Ransom Advisory Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at about $142,000. Glenview Trust co boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 132,567 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $31,318,000 after acquiring an additional 2,903 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advisory Alpha LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 16.9% during the 1st quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC now owns 2,276 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $538,000 after acquiring an additional 329 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Evercore ISI decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their target price for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Barclays lowered shares of Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock traded down $1.31 during trading on Friday, hitting $214.73. 6,207,235 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,172,178. Union Pacific Corporation has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $256.84. The stock has a market cap of $127.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.66, a P/E/G ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $224.46 and a 200 day simple moving average of $226.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.74 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 47.96%.

Union Pacific Profile

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.