Trexquant Investment LP Cuts Stock Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Trexquant Investment LP reduced its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 40.3%, selling 39,577 shares and holding 58,531 shares valued at approximately $13.8 million.
• Union Pacific announced a dividend increase to $1.38 per share, up from $1.34, payable on September 30th, reflecting a 2.5% dividend yield.
• In Q2, Union Pacific reported a net income of $3.03 EPS, beating estimates and demonstrating a 2.4% year-over-year revenue increase to $6.15 billion.

Trexquant Investment LP lowered its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 40.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 58,531 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 39,577 shares during the quarter. Trexquant Investment LP's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $13,827,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth approximately $372,000. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 6.9% during the first quarter. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG now owns 150,086 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $35,456,000 after acquiring an additional 9,696 shares during the period. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% in the first quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,109 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $971,000 after buying an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.0% in the first quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC now owns 17,354 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $4,100,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BWM Planning LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter valued at about $200,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.7%

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded down $1.67 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $221.90. The stock had a trading volume of 2,256,107 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,418,364. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $226.98 and its 200 day simple moving average is $227.56. The company has a market capitalization of $131.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.29, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Union Pacific Corporation has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 company had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.09 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.74 EPS. Union Pacific's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the subject of several analyst reports. Argus downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. Baird R W upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $258.21.

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.