Townsquare Capital LLC Raises Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Townsquare Capital LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 19.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 23,660 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,889 shares during the quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,832,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 272.3% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after buying an additional 1,227,318 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 19,878.6% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $220,856,000 after acquiring an additional 891,555 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plc raised its stake in Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $134,636,000 after acquiring an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 170.9% during the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $181,470,000 after acquiring an additional 464,477 shares during the period. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 186.4% during the 2nd quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after purchasing an additional 458,664 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $245.23 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $240.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of $238.56. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.67 billion, a PE ratio of 22.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 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.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The company had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.51 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 49.22%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on UNP shares. Bank of America dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 20th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.80.

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.