iA Global Asset Management Inc. Grows Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Key Points

• iA Global Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 231.1%, owning a total of 155,401 shares valued at approximately $36.7 million.
• Union Pacific recently announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, marking a boost from its previous dividend and resulting in an annualized dividend yield of 2.5%.
• The company's latest earnings report revealed earnings per share (EPS) of $3.03, exceeding analysts' expectations and showing a 2.4% increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year.

iA Global Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 231.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 155,401 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 108,469 shares during the quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $36,712,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at about $56,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 18.7% during the first quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 2,002 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $473,000 after buying an additional 316 shares during the period. Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 2.2% in the first quarter. Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 2,799 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $661,000 after buying an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.3% during the first quarter. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC now owns 11,358 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,683,000 after buying an additional 255 shares during the period. Finally, Advyzon Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Advyzon Investment Management LLC now owns 1,975 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $466,000 after acquiring an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 7th. Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price target for the company. Redburn Atlantic raised shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP traded down $2.95 during trading on Thursday, reaching $222.51. 3,113,711 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,311,982. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $227.08 and its 200-day simple moving average is $230.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $131.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data 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. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.74 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a $1.38 dividend. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

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.