BLB&B Advisors LLC Sells 58 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

BLB&B Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,854 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 58 shares during the quarter. BLB&B Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $419,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Forum Financial Management LP boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 7,037 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,731,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the period. Mission Wealth Management LP boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 7,838 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,925,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,007,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,015 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $741,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Finally, Elevated Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,269 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $312,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on UNP. Susquehanna reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price target for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 8th. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP traded up $2.25 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $252.60. The stock had a trading volume of 2,359,673 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,264,831. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $199.33 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The business has a fifty day moving average of $235.90 and a 200 day moving average of $238.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $154.12 billion, a price-to-earnings 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 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend 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 dividend payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

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.