MQS Management LLC Purchases Shares of 4,570 Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 4,570 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $1,126,000. Union Pacific comprises 0.6% of MQS Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest holding.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the second quarter worth $28,000. Cultivar Capital Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 265.7% during the 3rd quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares during the period. Finally, Fairscale Capital LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $238.91 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $242.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $238.63. The company has a market capitalization of $144.84 billion, a PE ratio of 21.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $208.14 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.51 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Evercore ISI lowered shares of Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 25th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $262.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 14th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.30.

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.