Congress Asset Management Co. Reduces Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Congress Asset Management Co. decreased its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 50.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,670 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 1,718 shares during the quarter. Congress Asset Management Co.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $395,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. EnRich Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% during the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Kentucky Trust Co purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, Stonebridge Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $45,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of UNP traded up $2.37 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $226.51. The stock had a trading volume of 3,122,196 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,062,216. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The firm has a market cap of $135.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $219.97 and its 200 day simple moving average is $232.04.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.11 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.69 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 48.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Argus upgraded Union Pacific to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Finally, Stephens decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $257.74.

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.