Teacher Retirement System of Texas Has $84.99 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Teacher Retirement System of Texas grew its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 38.3% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 372,696 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 103,267 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas’ holdings in Union Pacific were worth $84,990,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. now owns 427,312 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $97,444,000 after buying an additional 7,061 shares during the last quarter. First Financial Bankshares Inc increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. First Financial Bankshares Inc now owns 85,330 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $19,459,000 after buying an additional 1,012 shares during the last quarter. Investment House LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Investment House LLC now owns 55,217 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $12,592,000 after buying an additional 485 shares during the last quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltd increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 11.3% in the fourth quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltd now owns 29,855 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,801,000 after buying an additional 3,029 shares during the last quarter. Finally, West Tower Group LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $456,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $236.24 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $142.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $242.44 and a 200 day moving average price of $240.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.27%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on UNP shares. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.