Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC Reduces Stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC cut its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 3.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 127,695 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 4,876 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $30,167,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Highline Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% in the 1st quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 50.5% during the 1st 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 last quarter. IMA Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $55,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $220.55 on Friday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $130.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $227.06 and a 200 day moving average of $229.43. 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 issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 company posted $2.74 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 46.57%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $263.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.21.

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.