Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Acquired by Principal Securities Inc.

Principal Securities Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 14,067 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 328 shares during the period. Principal Securities Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,467,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNP. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position 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 acquiring an additional 1,227,318 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 35.3% in the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after acquiring an additional 1,073,625 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 19,878.6% during the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $220,856,000 after buying an additional 891,555 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in Union Pacific by 7.6% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 186.4% during the second quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after buying an additional 458,664 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.3 %

UNP stock opened at $232.69 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $207.74 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $244.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $238.33. The firm has a market cap of $141.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.37, a PEG ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results 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). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The business had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.51 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.97 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Susquehanna reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $262.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.15.

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.