Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. Takes $5.40 Million Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 22,872 shares of the railroad operator's stock, valued at approximately $5,403,000.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 103.5% in the first quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $32,000. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $33,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its holdings 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 buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IMA Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $217.41 on Tuesday. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $256.84. The company has a market capitalization of $128.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.03. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $226.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $226.61. 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 announced 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 business 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 business's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.74 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently commented on UNP shares. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 21st. Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. Baird R W raised Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average 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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