Union Pacific Corporation $UNP Stake Raised by Van ECK Associates Corp

Key Points

• Van ECK Associates raised its stake in Union Pacific by 10.8% in Q3 to 299,907 shares (≈$70.9M), while other large investors — including Capital World Investors (+193.3% to 10.48M shares), Capital Research (+95% to 8.71M), and Norges Bank (new ≈$1.86B position) — increased holdings, leaving institutional ownership at 80.38%.
• Union Pacific reported quarterly EPS of $2.86, missing estimates by $0.06, and revenue of $6.09B (down 0.6% YoY), though profitability remained strong with a 40.89% ROE and 29.12% net margin.
• The board declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38 (annualized $5.52, yield 2.2%), and analysts have a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $263.77.

Van ECK Associates Corp raised its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 10.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 299,907 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 29,273 shares during the quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp owned 0.05% of Union Pacific worth $70,889,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 193.3% during the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,481,043 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,477,404,000 after purchasing an additional 6,908,016 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors grew its position in Union Pacific by 95.0% in the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 8,713,196 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,059,538,000 after buying an additional 4,244,226 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the second quarter worth approximately $1,856,340,000. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,428,229 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,519,441,000 after buying an additional 29,514 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 35.6% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 4,782,577 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,134,236,000 after acquiring an additional 1,255,231 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.4%

NYSE:UNP opened at $250.16 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $148.44 billion, a PE ratio of 20.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.95. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $268.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The stock's 50-day moving average is $245.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $233.41.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.92 by ($0.06). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 40.89% and a net margin of 29.12%.The company had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.91 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.12%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNP. Weiss Ratings raised Union Pacific from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 target price on Union Pacific in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $270.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $267.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $311.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $263.77.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation NYSE: UNP is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific's core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.

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