West Branch Capital LLC Decreases Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• West Branch Capital LLC reduced its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 52.5%, holding 1,720 shares valued at $396,000 after selling 1,899 shares in the second quarter.
• Union Pacific reported earnings of $3.03 per share, surpassing the estimated $2.84, with revenues of $6.15 billion, an increase of 2.4% year-over-year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, reflecting a **dividend yield of 2.3%**, and a payout ratio of approximately 48%.

West Branch Capital LLC cut its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 52.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,720 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 1,899 shares during the period. West Branch Capital LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $396,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marcum Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.9% in the first quarter. Marcum Wealth LLC now owns 2,954 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $698,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 70.8% during the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 4,243 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,002,000 after buying an additional 1,759 shares during the period. Sage Capital Advisors llc lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the first quarter. Sage Capital Advisors llc now owns 16,291 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $3,848,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Farmers Trust Co. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 67.0% in the 1st quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 16,183 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $3,823,000 after buying an additional 6,495 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 6.6% in the first quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 2,919 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $689,000 after acquiring an additional 181 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $235.14 on Friday. 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 $139.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.03. The business has a 50-day moving average of $222.73 and a 200 day moving average of $224.63. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $256.84.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The business 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 business's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.74 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This is an increase from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is currently 47.96%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on UNP. UBS Group boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Robert W. Baird started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 target price on the stock. Argus cut Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $260.00.

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.

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