Liberty Wealth Management LLC Acquires 15,997 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Key Points

• Liberty Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation by 942.7%, acquiring 15,997 additional shares during the first quarter, bringing their total to 17,694 shares valued at $4.18 million.
• Union Pacific recently raised its quarterly dividend from $1.34 to $1.38, resulting in an annualized dividend of $5.52 and a yield of 2.5%.
• Equities analysts have mixed ratings for Union Pacific, with eleven hold ratings, fourteen buy ratings, and a target price averaging $258.21, while Barclays downgraded the stock to "equal weight."

Liberty Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 942.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 17,694 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 15,997 shares during the quarter. Liberty Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,180,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised 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 valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 50.5% during the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its holdings 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 valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on UNP shares. Barclays downgraded Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price target on the stock. Argus raised Union Pacific to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price target for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.2%

Union Pacific stock opened at $219.31 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Union Pacific Corporation has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $130.06 billion, a PE ratio of 19.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.06. The business's fifty day moving average is $227.04 and its 200 day moving average is $230.86.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is 46.57%.

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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