Townsquare Capital LLC Buys 17,370 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Key Points

• Townsquare Capital LLC increased its position in Union Pacific Corporation by 71.6% during the first quarter, owning a total of 41,645 shares valued at approximately $9.84 million.
• Union Pacific recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.38 per share, reflecting a 2.5% yield and an annual payout of $5.52.
• Analysts have set new price targets for Union Pacific, with Wells Fargo raising their target from $250.00 to $260.00, indicating a strong outlook for the stock.

Townsquare Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 71.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 41,645 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 17,370 shares during the quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $9,838,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Founders Financial Alliance LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 17.5% during the first quarter. Founders Financial Alliance LLC now owns 2,939 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $695,000 after acquiring an additional 438 shares during the last quarter. Everett Harris & Co. CA lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 4.3% during the 1st quarter. Everett Harris & Co. CA now owns 67,225 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $15,881,000 after acquiring an additional 2,753 shares during the last quarter. Nicholson Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Nicholson Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 8,055 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,903,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Savvy Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 6.5% during the first quarter. Savvy Advisors Inc. now owns 2,158 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $510,000 after buying an additional 131 shares in the last quarter. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 28.3% in the first quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 576,497 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $136,189,000 after purchasing an additional 127,060 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Union Pacific stock traded up $3.80 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $222.60. The stock had a trading volume of 1,487,604 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,319,301. 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 $132.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.34, a PEG ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1-year low of $204.66 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The stock's fifty day moving average is $227.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $230.04.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.74 earnings per share. The business'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 business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.57%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have commented on UNP shares. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Argus cut shares of Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $258.21.

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.