Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Purchased by Breakwater Capital Group

Breakwater Capital Group increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 11.3% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 954 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 97 shares during the period. Breakwater Capital Group’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $216,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,832,127,000. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 7.6% in the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,867,842 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,441,260,000 after buying an additional 125,522 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 7.1% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,504,181 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,351,937,000 after buying an additional 364,029 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,396,974 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,081,348,000 after buying an additional 237,083 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded up $2.25 on Wednesday, reaching $252.60. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,359,673 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,264,831. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $235.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is $238.93. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $199.33 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $154.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.10, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.12%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 51.15%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $281.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price target for the company. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

Union Pacific Company 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.