Kestra Investment Management LLC Invests $923,000 in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 3,744 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $923,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in Union Pacific by 272.3% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after purchasing an additional 1,227,318 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 19,878.6% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $220,856,000 after purchasing an additional 891,555 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $134,636,000 after purchasing an additional 520,536 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 170.9% in the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $181,470,000 after buying an additional 464,477 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Union Pacific by 186.4% during the second quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after buying an additional 458,664 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $255.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. StockNews.com lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.80.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $244.66 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month high of $258.66. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $240.12 and its 200-day moving average price is $238.45.

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

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 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.