Commonwealth Equity Services LLC Purchases 8,381 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Key Points

• Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 3.8% during the first quarter, acquiring an additional 8,381 shares, bringing its total holdings to 226,270 shares worth approximately $53.45 million.
• Union Pacific recently reported earnings of $3.03 per share for the last quarter, exceeding analysts' expectations, with revenue of $6.15 billion, up 2.4% from the prior year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, providing an annual yield of 2.5%, with the dividend payout ratio standing at 47.96%.

Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 3.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 226,270 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 8,381 shares during the quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $53,454,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 27,502.8% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,491,151 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $588,510,000 after purchasing an additional 2,482,126 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in Union Pacific by 14.3% in the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,370,559,000 after purchasing an additional 1,298,178 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 35.2% in the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,968,658 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,133,053,000 after purchasing an additional 1,294,643 shares during the period. Castlekeep Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $273,361,000. Finally, Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in Union Pacific by 15.2% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,587,763,000 after purchasing an additional 920,414 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $222.03 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $131.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.06. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $227.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $230.75.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Barclays lowered Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Citigroup lowered Union Pacific from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $258.21.

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.

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