AMI Investment Management Inc. Grows Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

AMI Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.4% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 14,870 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the period. Union Pacific accounts for about 1.3% of AMI Investment Management Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. AMI Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,657,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $252,000. Mather Group LLC. raised its position in Union Pacific by 14.6% in the third quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 2,834 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $577,000 after purchasing an additional 362 shares during the period. Morningstar Investment Services LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at about $235,000. Ancora Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the third quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 28,714 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,847,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the period. Finally, Richard Bernstein Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 16.3% during the third quarter. Richard Bernstein Advisors LLC now owns 12,176 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,479,000 after acquiring an additional 1,711 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Benchmark lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $266.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $248.00 to $267.00 in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.92.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded up $2.79 on Friday, reaching $226.26. 3,492,610 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,420,808. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.33 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm has a market cap of $138.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a 50-day moving average of $233.31 and a 200-day moving average of $240.32.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.67 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 31st were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 31st. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.30%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 49.62%.

About Union Pacific

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.