Partners Group Holding AG Sells 10,476 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Partners Group Holding AG reduced its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 4.0% in the first quarter, maintaining about 250,048 shares valued at $59.07 million.
• Union Pacific recently declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38, which is a 2.5% yield and an increase from the previous $1.34 dividend.
• Equities analysts have set a new price target for Union Pacific, with BMO Capital Markets and Sanford C. Bernstein raising their targets to $277.00 and $286.00 respectively, both indicating an "outperform" rating.

Partners Group Holding AG decreased its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 4.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 250,048 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 10,476 shares during the period. Union Pacific comprises 2.5% of Partners Group Holding AG's portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Partners Group Holding AG's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $59,071,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Menora Mivtachim Holdings LTD. bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth $115,096,000. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC UT bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $340,000. Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 5.9% in the 1st quarter. Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 12,561 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,967,000 after acquiring an additional 695 shares in the last quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.7% in the first quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 3,854 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $911,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.8% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,229,092 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $290,361,000 after purchasing an additional 44,738 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.9%

Union Pacific stock traded up $1.9190 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $225.6890. 3,161,576 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,355,458. The stock has a market capitalization of $133.84 billion, a PE ratio of 19.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $226.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $229.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. 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 posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.74 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. 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. Union Pacific's payout ratio is 46.57%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Stephens lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 7th. Citigroup cut Union Pacific from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and decreased their price target for the company from $270.00 to $250.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Argus cut Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $258.21.

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.