DnB Asset Management AS Reduces Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• DnB Asset Management AS reduced its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation by 1.4%, selling 2,949 shares, and now owns 207,184 shares valued at approximately $48.9 million.
• Union Pacific recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.38 per share, resulting in an annualized yield of 2.5%.
• Equities analysts have mixed ratings for Union Pacific, with a consensus target price of $258.21 and a majority rating of moderate buy.

DnB Asset Management AS lowered its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 207,184 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 2,949 shares during the quarter. DnB Asset Management AS's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $48,945,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% in the first quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at about $32,000. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at about $33,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 50.5% in the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the period. Finally, IMA Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at about $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price 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. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Argus cut shares of Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 12th. Finally, Robert W. Baird began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 target price on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of UNP traded down $2.90 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $217.41. 4,131,095 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,452,517. The company has a market cap of $128.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.03. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $256.84. 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 stock's 50-day moving average is $226.40 and its 200-day moving average is $226.80.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The firm's revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.74 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a 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 47.96%.

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.