Vanguard Group Inc. Raises Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Vanguard raised its stake in Union Pacific by 1.1% in Q4 to 59,329,262 shares — roughly a 10.0% ownership valued at about $13.724 billion.
• UNP posted a Q1 beat (adjusted EPS $2.93 vs. $2.86 and revenue ~$6.22B), reaffirmed guidance, and saw analysts lift targets, helping push the stock to a 52‑week high.
• Merger optionality resurfaced as management prepares a renewed regulatory filing for the proposed Norfolk Southern acquisition, but higher fuel costs and regulatory/execution risk remain material near‑term threats to margins and deal progress.

Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 59,329,262 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 659,378 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned approximately 10.00% of Union Pacific worth $13,724,045,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Capital World Investors boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 193.3% during the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,481,043 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,477,404,000 after buying an additional 6,908,016 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 72.7% during the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 9,177,002 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,169,168,000 after buying an additional 3,861,636 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 95.0% during 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 period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 18.9% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,164,334 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,693,434,000 after buying an additional 1,139,926 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.2% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,881,628 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,626,610,000 after buying an additional 210,184 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Union Pacific

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat and guidance reaffirmed — UNP reported upside to consensus (adjusted EPS $2.93, revenue ~$6.22B) and reiterated its full‑year outlook, with management highlighting efficiency gains and record net income that support near‑term earnings visibility. Business Wire: Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts lifting targets and ratings — Multiple firms raised price targets or reiterated buy/neutral views after the upbeat quarter, signaling Wall Street is repricing UNP higher on execution and pricing power. Benzinga: Analyst Note
• Positive Sentiment: Merger optionality resurfacing — Management said a revised regulatory filing for the proposed Norfolk Southern acquisition is imminent, keeping upside from potential synergies and deal progress in play. That comment has supported optimistic positioning. QuiverQuant: Deal Progress
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum drove a 52‑week high — The combination of the beat, guidance affirmation and deal commentary pushed UNP to fresh highs earlier this week, reflecting strong sentiment among growth/value investors. American Banking News: 12‑Month High
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call/transcripts available — The full Q1 call and transcripts provide detail on freight mix, pricing, merger prep and cost items for investors doing due diligence. Yahoo Finance: Earnings Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel costs threaten margins — Management warned that higher fuel prices will pressure margins, a near‑term headwind that could erode some of the beat if fuel/operating costs accelerate. MSN: Fuel Headwind
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and execution risks on the merger remain — The STB previously found the initial filing incomplete and merger‑related costs hit results; regulatory timing and potential additional remediation remain material risks that can re‑rate the stock if progress stalls. QuiverQuant: Regulatory Update

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $269.21 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.92. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $210.53 and a fifty-two week high of $274.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $159.75 billion, a PE ratio of 22.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.96. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $251.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $238.33.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 39.58% and a net margin of 29.20%.The business had revenue of $6.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.70 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th were given a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is 45.47%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 1,999 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.93, for a total transaction of $469,625.07. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the subject of several research analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets restated a "market perform" rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $278.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday. Barclays reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $315.00 price objective (up from $285.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday. Evercore reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $277.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday. Susquehanna reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Union Pacific from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $278.38.

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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