Kerrisdale Advisers LLC Increases Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Kerrisdale Advisers LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 5.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 27,717 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 1,315 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for 2.1% of Kerrisdale Advisers LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Kerrisdale Advisers LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $6,321,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% during the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on UNP shares. Stephens dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.86.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.1 %

Union Pacific stock traded up $0.30 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $212.91. The stock had a trading volume of 972,685 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,998,498. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The company has a market capitalization of $127.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.20, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $230.98 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $235.43. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.73 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.11 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.69 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.52%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's payout ratio is 48.29%.

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.