KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS Grows Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS raised its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.9% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 209,164 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 4,000 shares during the quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $49,413,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after buying an additional 1,616,895 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in Union Pacific by 14.3% during the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,370,559,000 after acquiring an additional 1,298,178 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,752,804,000 after acquiring an additional 363,937 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in Union Pacific by 15.2% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,587,763,000 after purchasing an additional 920,414 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Trading Down 4.4%

Union Pacific stock traded down $10.09 during trading on Thursday, reaching $220.91. 9,782,212 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,099,102. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $227.49 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $231.13. The company has a market capitalization of $131.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.90, a PEG ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.61. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.76% and a return on equity of 40.80%. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.74 EPS. The company's revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.50%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 48.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Susquehanna upgraded Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "positive" rating and raised their target price for the company from $245.00 to $260.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 24th. Bank of America upped their price target on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $257.75.

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.