Novem Group Invests $1.02 Million in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Novem Group bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 4,428 shares of the railroad operator's stock, valued at approximately $1,019,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.0% during the first quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 7,105,382 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,678,575,000 after buying an additional 142,732 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in Union Pacific by 5.4% during the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,949,345 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,641,715,000 after buying an additional 354,463 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.7% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 5,105,784 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,206,191,000 after acquiring an additional 86,292 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 4,626,200 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,092,893,000 after acquiring an additional 452,788 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nuveen LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter worth $988,822,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $250.00 to $251.00 in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, June 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $260.00.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $232.01 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $222.52 and a 200-day moving average price of $224.65. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $256.84. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $137.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.16, a PEG ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 1.03.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.74 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 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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