Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC Sells 4,876 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC has reduced its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 3.7%, now holding 127,695 shares valued at approximately $30 million.
• Union Pacific reported quarterly earnings of $3.03 per share, surpassing analysts' expectations of $2.84 and reflecting a 2.4% increase in year-over-year revenue.
• The company has declared a quarterly dividend increase from $1.34 to $1.38 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend yield of 2.5% and a payout ratio of 46.57%.

Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC reduced its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 3.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 127,695 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 4,876 shares during the quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $30,167,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% in the 1st quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 50.5% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. IMA Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at about $43,000. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at about $55,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UNP. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of 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 shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their target price for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Susquehanna cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $257.00 and set a "positive" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock traded up $3.3690 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $223.4490. 4,899,191 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,460,096. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.65. The company has a market cap of $132.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.41, a PEG ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $226.91 and its 200 day moving average price is $229.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.74 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

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