Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Bought by Eagle Asset Management Inc.

Eagle Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 8.4% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 391,776 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 30,383 shares during the period. Eagle Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $94,610,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.1% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,561,936 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $877,946,000 after buying an additional 38,999 shares during the period. Smithfield Trust Co boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.3% in the third quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 18,913 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $4,657,000 after buying an additional 235 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 19.5% in the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 62,549 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $15,417,000 after buying an additional 10,205 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 4.6% in the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 1,070,709 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $263,908,000 after buying an additional 47,553 shares during the period. Finally, Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the third quarter worth about $500,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. Barclays upped their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 20th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.80.

Union Pacific Stock Up 2.3 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $239.02 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $144.91 billion, a PE ratio of 21.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.06. 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 business’s fifty day moving average is $240.67 and its 200-day moving average is $238.52. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $6.09 billion for 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 prior year, the business earned $2.51 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.