New Century Financial Group LLC Has $736,000 Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

New Century Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 124.2% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,253 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,802 shares during the quarter. New Century Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $736,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 23.1% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,851,767 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,682,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,285,144 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 272.3% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after purchasing an additional 1,227,318 shares during the period. Capital World Investors raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 35.3% in the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,073,625 shares during the period. Junto Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $123,297,000. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 186.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after buying an additional 458,664 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $246.48 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $245.87 and its 200 day simple moving average is $238.82. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.33 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The company has a market cap of $150.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.52, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 EPS. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 51.15%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on UNP. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. Evercore ISI lowered Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $288.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.79.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific 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 transaction of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.