Chesapeake Wealth Management Acquires 43 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Chesapeake Wealth Management grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 8,202 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 43 shares during the quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,856,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 13.6% during the second quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 120,394 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,240,000 after acquiring an additional 14,388 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 25.5% during the 2nd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 52,344 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $11,843,000 after purchasing an additional 10,646 shares during the last quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.2% during the 2nd quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ now owns 124,690 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $28,212,000 after purchasing an additional 3,812 shares in the last quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 3,276 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $741,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AE Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 56.8% in the second quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 96,640 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $21,866,000 after buying an additional 34,993 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have issued reports on UNP. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Susquehanna lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $275.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

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

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.2 %

UNP stock opened at $245.39 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $199.33 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $149.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.42, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $245.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.17.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 2.18%. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

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.