ClearBridge Investments Ltd Decreases Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

ClearBridge Investments Ltd reduced its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,086,079 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 72,437 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises 7.2% of ClearBridge Investments Ltd’s holdings, making the stock its 6th biggest position. ClearBridge Investments Ltd owned 0.18% of Union Pacific worth $245,736,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 7.6% in the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,856,266 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,438,417,000 after acquiring an additional 113,946 shares during the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,396,974 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,081,348,000 after purchasing an additional 237,083 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 8.3% in the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 4,218,730 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $954,530,000 after purchasing an additional 322,129 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 35.3% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,073,625 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. StockNews.com cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Daiwa America cut Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP opened at $245.39 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $199.33 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The firm 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. The business’s fifty day moving average is $245.45 and its 200-day moving average is $238.99.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

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

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

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 value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.