Retirement Systems of Alabama Lowers Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Retirement Systems of Alabama decreased its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 317,924 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 9,420 shares during the period. Retirement Systems of Alabama owned 0.05% of Union Pacific worth $78,362,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after purchasing an additional 182,620 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 8,312,154 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,880,701,000 after purchasing an additional 106,996 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares during the period. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,285,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,549,271,000 after buying an additional 143,896 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. TD Cowen reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $252.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Daiwa America lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $259.80.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $233.70 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $238.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $238.27. The stock has a market cap of $141.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.46, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.51 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.22%.

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.