UniSuper Management Pty Ltd Sells 17,427 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• UniSuper Management Pty Ltd reduced its position in Union Pacific Corporation by 5.7% during Q1, now holding 290,240 shares valued at approximately $68.57 million.
• Analysts have mixed ratings on Union Pacific, with a consensus target price of $258.21; notable ratings include a recent upgrade to "buy" from Jefferies Financial Group.
• Union Pacific announced a quarterly dividend increase, now $1.38 per share, reflecting an annualized yield of 2.5% and a payout ratio of 47.96%.

UniSuper Management Pty Ltd lessened its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 5.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 290,240 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 17,427 shares during the period. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $68,566,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $988,822,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 27,502.8% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,491,151 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $588,510,000 after acquiring an additional 2,482,126 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 35.2% in the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,968,658 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,133,053,000 after acquiring an additional 1,294,643 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 29.8% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,699,109 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $873,878,000 after acquiring an additional 850,025 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 61,054.6% in the 1st quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 625,000 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $147,650,000 after acquiring an additional 623,978 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock traded down $1.18 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $214.87. 5,004,712 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,459,492. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $225.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $226.53. Union Pacific Corporation has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $256.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $127.43 billion, a PE ratio of 18.67, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.03.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued 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. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.74 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's payout ratio is currently 47.96%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Argus lowered Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 12th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Baird R W raised Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. Finally, Citigroup lowered Union Pacific from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Company 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.