Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC Has $23 Million Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Azimuth Capital Investment Management increased its Union Pacific stake by 89.7% in the second quarter, bringing its holdings to 84,566 shares worth approximately $23 million. Institutional investors collectively own 80.38% of the company.
• Union Pacific beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, reporting $3.41 in EPS on $6.86 billion in revenue, with revenue up 11.5% year over year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend from $1.38 to $1.42 per share, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $320.89.

Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 89.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 84,566 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 39,981 shares during the period. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $23,002,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 40.4% during the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,312 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $546,000 after purchasing an additional 665 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 20,606 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $4,741,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the last quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.6% in the second quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 3,733 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $859,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 10.0% in the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 6,091 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,401,000 after purchasing an additional 554 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 7.4% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,528,426 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $351,660,000 after buying an additional 105,664 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $289.54 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $172.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.44, a PEG ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.96. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12-month low of $210.84 and a 12-month high of $315.99. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $293.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $270.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.26 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.85% and a return on equity of 38.46%. The firm had revenue of $6.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.72 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.03 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 13.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be given a dividend of $1.42 per share. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is currently 45.99%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Bank of America raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $301.00 to $334.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $294.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, July 13th. Stephens upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Susquehanna lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $305.00 to $333.00 and gave the stock a "positive" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $320.89.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation NYSE: UNP is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific's core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.

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