Royal Bank of Canada Has $1.21 Billion Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Royal Bank of Canada has increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 1.7%, owning 5,105,784 shares valued at approximately $1.2 billion at the end of the last quarter.
• Union Pacific recently reported a quarterly EPS of $3.03, surpassing estimates by $0.19, with revenues of $6.15 billion, a year-over-year increase of 2.4%.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share, representing a 2.5% yield, along with a boost from the previous dividend of $1.34.

Royal Bank of Canada raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,105,784 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 86,292 shares during the quarter. Royal Bank of Canada owned 0.85% of Union Pacific worth $1,206,191,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Titleist Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Titleist Asset Management LLC now owns 4,004 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $946,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.7% in the first quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 2,803 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $662,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.6% in the first quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc now owns 2,963 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $700,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. Avalon Trust Co lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 5.1% during the first quarter. Avalon Trust Co now owns 1,004 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $237,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.7% during the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 3,041 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $718,000 after buying an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP traded down $0.49 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $221.50. 4,331,086 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,882,077. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $226.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $227.52. The company has a market cap of $131.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.24, a PEG ratio of 2.17 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 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.74 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders 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 yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is 47.96%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on UNP. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Barclays cut shares of Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target 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.