Stanley Laman Group Ltd. Has $3.46 Million Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Stanley Laman Group Ltd. cut its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 10.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 14,641 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,679 shares during the period. Stanley Laman Group Ltd.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,459,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after purchasing an additional 1,616,895 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,370,559,000 after buying an additional 1,298,178 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,752,804,000 after buying an additional 363,937 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp raised its position in Union Pacific by 15.2% during the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,587,763,000 after acquiring an additional 920,414 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of several recent research reports. Stephens decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 14th. UBS Group cut their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.74.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $225.30 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $220.59 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $231.80. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $134.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.73 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.69 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.38%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.29%.

Union Pacific 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.