Maryland State Retirement & Pension System Decreases Stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Key Points

• Maryland State Retirement & Pension System reduced its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 13.1%, selling 4,288 shares and leaving them with 28,529 shares valued at $6.74 million.
• Union Pacific recently announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, translating to an annual yield of 2.4% with a payout ratio of 46.57%.
• Analysts have mixed ratings on Union Pacific stock, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.21.

Maryland State Retirement & Pension System decreased its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 13.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 28,529 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 4,288 shares during the period. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $6,740,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 103.5% in the 1st 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. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 50.5% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the period. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of UNP opened at $225.50 on Thursday. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $227.07 and its 200-day moving average price is $230.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $133.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.59, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.05. 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 Corporation has a 1-year low of $204.66 and a 1-year high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.74 earnings per share. Union Pacific's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current 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 paid a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on UNP shares. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Barclays cut shares of Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.21.

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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