Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. Sells 3,162 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. decreased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 2.4%, selling 3,162 shares and holding a total of 130,857 shares valued at approximately $30.91 million.
• Union Pacific recently reported impressive quarterly earnings of $3.03 per share, surpassing expectations and highlighting a revenue increase of 2.4% compared to the previous year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, demonstrating a 2.5% yield and illustrating a positive payout ratio of 46.57%.

Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. trimmed its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 2.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 130,857 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 3,162 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises about 0.8% of Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P.'s holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $30,914,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. First Financial Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.7% during the first quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 2,803 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $662,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.6% during the first quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc now owns 2,963 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $700,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Avalon Trust Co lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 5.1% during the first quarter. Avalon Trust Co now owns 1,004 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $237,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.7% during the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 3,041 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $718,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mystic Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.2% during the first quarter. Mystic Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,359 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $557,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Citigroup lowered Union Pacific from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and lowered their target price for the company from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.5%

Shares of NYSE UNP traded up $3.3690 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $223.4490. The company had a trading volume of 4,899,191 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,460,096. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $226.91 and its 200-day moving average price is $229.05. The stock has a market cap of $132.51 billion, a PE ratio of 19.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. 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 Corporation has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year 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 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.Union Pacific's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.74 EPS. 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 firm also recently declared 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 represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. 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. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is currently 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.