BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp Raises Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp grew its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 18.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 250,193 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 39,066 shares during the period. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $56,609,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 7.6% in the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,856,266 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,438,417,000 after acquiring an additional 113,946 shares during the period. Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.7% during the first 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 last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its position in Union Pacific by 8.3% during the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 4,218,730 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $954,530,000 after purchasing an additional 322,129 shares during the period. Finally, Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 35.3% in 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 last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $244.00 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $245.61 and a 200 day moving average price of $238.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.28, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $199.33 and a 12-month 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.

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, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. The company’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared 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 an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 51.15%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, July 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price target for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Susquehanna lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $275.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target 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.