Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Shares Acquired by LGT Group Foundation

LGT Group Foundation increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 9.7% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 5,398 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 477 shares during the quarter. LGT Group Foundation’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,275,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNP. Highline Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in 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 buying an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its holdings in 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 buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IMA Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $43,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $218.89 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $129.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.02, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $227.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $230.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion during 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%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.74 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis 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 payout ratio is currently 46.57%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. Argus lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 21st. UBS Group raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target 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.