Ensign Peak Advisors Inc Sells 45,922 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Ensign Peak Advisors Inc lessened its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 831,046 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 45,922 shares during the period. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc owned about 0.14% of Union Pacific worth $188,032,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. BNP Paribas acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 10.8% in the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $558,542,000 after acquiring an additional 222,318 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 19.0% in the first quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $31,078,000 after acquiring an additional 20,173 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,511,000 after acquiring an additional 4,089 shares in the last quarter. Finally, M&G Plc bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the first quarter worth about $10,378,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.2 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $245.39 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $245.45 and a 200 day simple moving average of $239.17. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $199.33 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The stock has a market cap of $149.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.15%.

Insider Activity

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $275.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 8th. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Daiwa America downgraded Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.79.

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.