E Fund Management Co. Ltd. Invests $202,000 in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

E Fund Management Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 823 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $202,000.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. National Pension Service boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. National Pension Service now owns 938,885 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $230,609,000 after buying an additional 17,629 shares during the period. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 21,515 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,285,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares during the last quarter. RMR Wealth Builders raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 19.7% during the fourth quarter. RMR Wealth Builders now owns 6,871 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,688,000 after acquiring an additional 1,131 shares in the last quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 45.3% in the fourth quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 88,197 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $21,665,000 after purchasing an additional 27,492 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gryphon Financial Partners LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 86.8% during the 4th quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,589 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $594,000 after acquiring an additional 1,203 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $248.56 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The business has a fifty day moving average of $242.31 and a 200 day moving average of $236.85. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $190.71 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The stock has a market cap of $151.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.53, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.09%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

Insider Activity

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $282.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $280.00 price objective (up from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $259.61.

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.