ProShare Advisors LLC Has $38.32 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

ProShare Advisors LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 117.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 169,378 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 91,361 shares during the quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $38,323,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Symmetry Investments LP raised its position in Union Pacific by 130.0% in the 2nd quarter. Symmetry Investments LP now owns 212,871 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $48,164,000 after buying an additional 120,326 shares during the last quarter. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 179.9% in the 2nd quarter. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC now owns 8,427 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,907,000 after acquiring an additional 5,416 shares in the last quarter. Alaethes Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter. Alaethes Wealth LLC now owns 6,390 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,446,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.5% in the second quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. now owns 427,918 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $96,821,000 after purchasing an additional 10,427 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Chesapeake Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the second quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 8,202 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,856,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. TD Cowen decreased their price target 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. StockNews.com cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price for the company. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $245.39 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $149.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.42, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. 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 quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $245.45 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $238.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced 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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The company’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.57 EPS. Analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.18%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

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.