Renaissance Technologies LLC Acquires 21,821 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 535,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 21,821 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned 0.09% of Union Pacific worth $121,049,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BNP Paribas acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the fourth quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $558,542,000 after purchasing an additional 222,318 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 19.0% in the first quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,078,000 after purchasing an additional 20,173 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $18,511,000 after purchasing an additional 4,089 shares in the last quarter. Finally, M&G Plc bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $10,378,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of several research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $275.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday. Daiwa America downgraded Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, July 29th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $249.12 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $151.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $243.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.08. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $199.33 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.15%.

Union Pacific Company 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.