Fred Alger Management LLC Has $5.77 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Fred Alger Management LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 31.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 25,313 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 6,121 shares during the period. Fred Alger Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,772,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UNP. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $259.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. Finally, Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $257.86.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $216.20 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $129.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $225.66 and a 200-day moving average of $233.79. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 48.29%.

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.