Axa S.A. Has $139.53 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Axa S.A. grew its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 16.1% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 616,689 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 85,734 shares during the quarter. Axa S.A. owned about 0.10% of Union Pacific worth $139,532,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Capital Research Global Investors grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 23.1% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,851,767 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,682,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,285,144 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 272.3% during the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after purchasing an additional 1,227,318 shares in the last quarter. Winslow Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $293,162,000. Capital World Investors increased its holdings 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 valued at $1,012,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,073,625 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc raised its position in Union Pacific by 115.3% in the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 1,070,123 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $262,844,000 after purchasing an additional 573,072 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 2.0 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $248.95 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $151.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.75, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $245.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $238.94. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $199.33 and a 1 year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.15%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price 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. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.11.

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.