Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by RDST Capital LLC

RDST Capital LLC cut its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 76.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 31,250 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 101,505 shares during the period. Union Pacific accounts for about 1.9% of RDST Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 12th biggest position. RDST Capital LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $7,071,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 211.4% in the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Cultivar Capital Inc. acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective for the company. Daiwa America lowered Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $275.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.79.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.6 %

NYSE UNP opened at $244.00 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $148.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $199.33 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $245.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $238.95.

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 analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.20%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

Union Pacific Company 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.