Ethic Inc. Buys 2,936 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Ethic Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 9.3% in the first quarter, owning a total of 34,421 shares worth approximately $8.16 million.
• Union Pacific's recent quarterly earnings exceeded analyst expectations, reporting $3.03 earnings per share on revenue of $6.15 billion.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend increase from $1.34 to $1.38 per share, representing a 2.5% yield and a payout ratio of 46.57%.

Ethic Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 9.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 34,421 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 2,936 shares during the quarter. Ethic Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,164,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% during the first quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL grew its stake in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 50.5% in the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IMA Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $43,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Susquehanna decreased their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $257.00 and set a "positive" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Citigroup downgraded Union Pacific from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and decreased their price target for the company from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Barclays downgraded Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. UBS Group raised their price target on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP traded down $0.2340 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $225.4460. 1,286,619 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,353,409. The stock has a market capitalization of $133.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.05. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $226.91 and its 200 day simple moving average is $229.03. 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 Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly 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 business had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.74 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a 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 46.57%.

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.