Toth Financial Advisory Corp Grows Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Toth Financial Advisory Corp raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 19.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 31,097 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 5,055 shares during the period. Toth Financial Advisory Corp's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,458,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 26,330,080 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $6,090,674,000 after acquiring an additional 1,082,285 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 92.1% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 20,136,349 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $4,658,142,000 after purchasing an additional 9,655,306 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,360,668 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,552,550,000 after purchasing an additional 296,814 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 14,527,563 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,951,497,000 after buying an additional 64,492 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.0% during the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,636,050 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,922,971,000 after acquiring an additional 602,647 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $317.00 price objective on Union Pacific and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Barclays restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $350.00 price target (up from $315.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, July 24th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $325.00 price objective (up from $282.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, July 24th. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $305.00 to $333.00 and gave the company a "positive" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $311.00 to $344.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $320.89.

Key Headlines Impacting Union Pacific

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New analyst coverage adds support: Erste Group Bank AG initiated coverage of Union Pacific with a “buy” rating, signaling confidence in the railroad’s valuation and outlook. Erste Group Bank coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend and earnings backdrop remains favorable: Union Pacific is being highlighted as a dividend-growth railroad, and recent quarterly results showed earnings and revenue above analyst expectations, with revenue up year over year. These factors reinforce the company’s appeal to income and quality-focused investors. Dividend-paying railroad stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Merger application advances: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern submitted expanded customer protections to the Surface Transportation Board, including broader eligibility for committed gateway pricing. The proposed terms could improve the prospects for approval of the first single-line transcontinental railroad network, although the transaction remains subject to a lengthy regulatory review. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger protections
• Neutral Sentiment: Management will address investors: CEO Jim Vena and CFO Jennifer Hamann are scheduled to participate in a Bernstein Research fireside chat on September 1. Investors may look for updates on merger strategy, rail efficiency and operating trends. Union Pacific Bernstein fireside chat
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and efficiency risks remain: The companies continue defending the merger against opponents’ challenges, while new analysis describes Union Pacific as facing a fresh test of rail efficiency. Any tougher STB scrutiny or evidence of operational weaknesses could temper merger-driven optimism. Merger application regulatory review

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total transaction of $789,504.36. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 43,012 shares in the company, valued at $11,353,447.52. This represents a 6.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.0%

UNP stock opened at $307.82 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $291.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $269.81. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $210.84 and a fifty-two week high of $315.99. The firm has a market cap of $182.87 billion, a PE ratio of 24.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.26 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.85% and a return on equity of 38.46%. The company had revenue of $6.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.72 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.03 earnings per share. Union Pacific's revenue was up 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 13.01 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 Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be given a dividend of $1.42 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is currently 44.70%.

Union Pacific Profile

Union Pacific Corporation NYSE: UNP is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific's core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.

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