OmniStar Financial Group Inc. Increases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

OmniStar Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 24.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 3,583 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 703 shares during the period. OmniStar Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $890,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 272.3% in 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 during the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 35.3% during the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after acquiring an additional 1,073,625 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 7.6% during the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,812,689,000 after acquiring an additional 518,985 shares during the period. Bridges Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Union Pacific by 186.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after acquiring an additional 458,664 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Assets Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter worth $96,945,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on UNP shares. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Susquehanna increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. TD Cowen decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.25.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of UNP traded up $2.34 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $244.06. 479,526 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,258,338. The business has a 50 day moving average of $246.28 and a 200 day moving average of $238.63. The company has a market capitalization of $148.68 billion, a PE ratio of 22.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.97 and a 1-year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.57 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.07 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific 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.