Natural Investments LLC Cuts Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Natural Investments LLC has cut its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation by 19.9%, selling 2,044 shares and leaving it with 8,249 shares valued at approximately $1.9 million.
• Union Pacific reported a quarterly earnings per share of $3.03 for the last quarter, exceeding analysts' expectations and showing a year-over-year revenue increase of 2.4%.
• The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38, up from the previous $1.34, reflecting a strong commitment to returning value to shareholders.

Natural Investments LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 19.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 8,249 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 2,044 shares during the period. Natural Investments LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,897,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake 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 in the last quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1,400.0% during the first quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 120 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth approximately $32,000. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, GFG Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the second quarter worth approximately $38,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the topic of several research reports. Baird R W raised shares of Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Wednesday. Raymond James Financial restated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Evercore ISI cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $261.08.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $225.54 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $133.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.07. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $224.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $224.47. Union Pacific Corporation has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $256.84. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86.

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, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.74 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th were issued a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.96%.

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.

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