Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd Grows Stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 3.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 79,335 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 2,843 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $18,742,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fiduciary Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Fiduciary Trust Co now owns 102,213 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $23,309,000 after acquiring an additional 2,807 shares in the last quarter. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $781,000. Miramar Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. Miramar Capital LLC now owns 54,564 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $12,443,000 after purchasing an additional 1,648 shares in the last quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 11.9% in the 1st quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 1,952 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $461,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares during the period. Finally, Argentarii LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,005,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Stephens decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Bank of America boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Argus upgraded Union Pacific to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $256.91.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP traded up $5.53 on Tuesday, hitting $235.61. 2,687,500 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,714,010. The firm has a market cap of $140.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 1.05. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $222.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $230.64. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. 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 (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 40.80% and a net margin of 27.76%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.11 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.69 EPS. The company's revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th were issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.27%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 48.29%.

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.