Artemis Investment Management LLP Buys 8,452 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Artemis Investment Management LLP raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 80.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 18,913 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,452 shares during the period. Artemis Investment Management LLP’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,313,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. State Street Corp increased its stake in Union Pacific by 0.9% during the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,146,451,000 after acquiring an additional 182,620 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in Union Pacific by 1.3% during the 2nd 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. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the period. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 143,896 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $233.99 on Monday. 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 debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $233.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $238.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $141.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.49, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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). The business had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.51 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.95 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.29%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 49.22%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on Union Pacific from $262.00 to $253.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. TD Cowen reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $252.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.35.

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.