Webster Bank N. A. Boosts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Webster Bank N. A. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,845 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 153 shares during the period. Webster Bank N. A.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $948,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Darrow Company Inc. purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the third quarter worth $229,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 1,306.3% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $111,000 after buying an additional 418 shares during the period. Carnegie Investment Counsel lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 117,548 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $28,972,000 after purchasing an additional 2,719 shares during the last quarter. City State Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 15.6% during the 3rd quarter. City State Bank now owns 2,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $721,000 after purchasing an additional 395 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Annex Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 13.1% during the 3rd quarter. Annex Advisory Services LLC now owns 62,632 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $15,438,000 after purchasing an additional 7,259 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $288.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 30th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 20th. Bank of America decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 24th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and cut their target price for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.50.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP traded up $3.49 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $242.31. 1,663,835 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,425,507. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $245.67 and its 200 day simple moving average is $238.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $147.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.97 and a 1-year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.57 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.06 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 30th. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.21%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 50.33%.

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.