Foster Group Inc. Invests $251,000 in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Foster Group Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund purchased 1,061 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $251,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its stake in Union Pacific by 38.8% during the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $223.39 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 firm has a market capitalization of $133.47 billion, a PE ratio of 20.14, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $220.25 and its 200 day simple moving average is $232.23. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.40%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $263.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lowered their target price for the company from $260.00 to $244.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $257.74.

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.