Conning Inc. Raises Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Conning Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 6.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 156,890 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 9,412 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for approximately 1.2% of Conning Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Conning Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $36,097,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth approximately $988,822,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 29.8% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,699,109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $873,878,000 after buying an additional 850,025 shares during the last quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its position in Union Pacific by 61,054.6% in the 1st quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 625,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $147,650,000 after buying an additional 623,978 shares during the last quarter. Menora Mivtachim Holdings LTD. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth approximately $115,096,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its position in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the 1st quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 4,626,200 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,092,893,000 after buying an additional 452,788 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Susquehanna restated a “positive” rating and issued a $272.00 target price (up previously from $257.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, September 25th. Citigroup upgraded Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $250.00 to $251.00 in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.08.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $225.54 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $133.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.60, a PEG ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.07. The business’s fifty day moving average is $224.45 and its 200 day moving average is $224.47. Union Pacific Corporation has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $256.84. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.74 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th were paid a $1.38 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 47.96%.

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.