Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Essex Financial Services Inc.

Essex Financial Services Inc. cut its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 22.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 12,710 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 3,685 shares during the quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,003,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% during the 1st 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. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 223.2% during the 4th quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 307 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $70,000 after acquiring an additional 212 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Transce3nd LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $72,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $231.36 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $138.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.84, a PEG ratio of 2.32 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 company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $222.11 and a 200 day moving average price of $230.70.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.76% and a return on equity of 40.80%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.11 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.69 EPS. Union Pacific's revenue for the quarter was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.32%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Barclays reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $258.39.

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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