Banco Santander S.A. Sells 512 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Banco Santander S.A. lowered its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 15.3% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 2,845 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 512 shares during the quarter. Banco Santander S.A.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $701,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 1.3% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 8,312,154 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,880,701,000 after purchasing an additional 106,996 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,970,669 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,350,924,000 after buying an additional 124,571 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 8.3% during 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 buying an additional 322,129 shares during the period. Raymond James & Associates increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 2,767,216 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $682,063,000 after acquiring an additional 57,652 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 5.2% during the 2nd quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,826,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $413,345,000 after acquiring an additional 90,722 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, October 25th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $252.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $262.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Nine research 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 stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.80.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $242.39 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The firm has a market cap of $146.95 billion, a PE ratio of 22.26, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $240.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $238.54.

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

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.