Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Mizuho Securities USA LLC

Key Points

• Mizuho Securities USA LLC reduced its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation by 15.8%, selling 9,074 shares and ending the quarter with 48,385 shares valued at $11,430,000.
• Union Pacific recently increased its quarterly dividend from $1.34 to $1.38 per share, maintaining a payout ratio of 46.57% and a dividend yield of 2.5%.
• Despite a recent cut in rating by Citigroup, analysts generally hold a Moderate Buy consensus for the stock, with an average target price of $258.21 after several mixed reports.

Mizuho Securities USA LLC reduced its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 15.8% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 48,385 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 9,074 shares during the quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $11,430,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP traded down $2.70 during trading on Monday, reaching $219.54. 4,419,610 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,292,855. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The stock has a market capitalization of $130.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.05. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $227.10 and its 200-day simple moving average is $230.12.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.74 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.57%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Barclays cut shares of Union Pacific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $263.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $258.21.

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.