Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. Cuts Stock Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. reduced its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 82.0%, now holding 9,577 shares valued at approximately $2,204,000.
• Union Pacific reported earnings of $3.03 per share, surpassing estimates, and had a net margin of 28.43% for the recent quarter.
• The company announced an increase in its quarterly dividend to $1.38, providing a revenue yield of 2.4% for shareholders.

Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. lessened its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 82.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,577 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 43,625 shares during the period. Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,204,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Harrell Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 10.2% in the 2nd quarter. Harrell Investment Partners LLC now owns 15,559 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $3,580,000 after acquiring an additional 1,437 shares during the period. TD Private Client Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 22,618 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $5,204,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the period. Northside Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 428.2% in the 2nd quarter. Northside Capital Management LLC now owns 9,149 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,105,000 after acquiring an additional 7,417 shares during the period. IMS Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter valued at $565,000. Finally, Financial Management Professionals Inc. raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 65.9% in the 2nd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 1,362 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $313,000 after acquiring an additional 541 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $230.41 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $222.43 and a 200-day moving average of $224.76. The company has a market capitalization of $136.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.02, a PEG ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.03. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1-year low of $204.66 and a 1-year high of $256.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.65.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The company's revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.74 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 47.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently commented on UNP. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Citigroup raised shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $250.00 to $251.00 in a research note on Monday, September 15th. Robert W. Baird started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Loop Capital raised shares of Union Pacific from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $214.00 to $227.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $259.38.

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.

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