The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Decreases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company cut its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 4.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,407,235 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 58,094 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned 0.23% of Union Pacific worth $320,906,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Howard Capital Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 16.4% during the 3rd quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $705,000 after purchasing an additional 403 shares during the last quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the third quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 43,071 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $10,616,000 after buying an additional 276 shares during the last quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 103.1% during the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $8,770,000 after buying an additional 18,060 shares in the last quarter. Arvest Bank Trust Division bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $16,680,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 124.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 52,963 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $13,054,000 after acquiring an additional 29,330 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently weighed in on UNP. Stephens reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.86.

Union Pacific Stock Up 2.0 %

Shares of UNP traded up $4.26 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $218.34. 2,926,803 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,591,076. The company has a market capitalization of $130.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.69, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. 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 Co. has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company's 50 day moving average is $228.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $234.74.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued 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). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.69 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.29%.

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.