Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Purchased by Ascent Group LLC

Ascent Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,485 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 559 shares during the period. Ascent Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,277,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. 9258 Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,124 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $767,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 86.8% in the 4th quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,589 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $594,000 after buying an additional 1,203 shares in the last quarter. J. W. Coons Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. J. W. Coons Advisors LLC now owns 3,997 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $982,000 after buying an additional 201 shares in the last quarter. Winslow Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $293,162,000. Finally, Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 27.5% in the 4th quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 857 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $211,000 after buying an additional 185 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.4 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $244.22 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 quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $245.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $238.89. The company has a market capitalization of $148.78 billion, a PE ratio of 23.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. Research 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 declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 51.15%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Bank of America decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 24th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.11.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.