Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Raises Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 38,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 1,292 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,730,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $1,832,127,000. Capital Research Global Investors grew its position in Union Pacific by 7.6% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,856,266 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,438,417,000 after buying an additional 113,946 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 7.1% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,504,181 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,351,937,000 after acquiring an additional 364,029 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,396,974 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,081,348,000 after acquiring an additional 237,083 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, July 29th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Finally, Daiwa America lowered Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific 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 value of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $249.12 on Friday. 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 company has a market cap of $151.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.77, a PEG ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $199.33 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $243.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $239.29.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.15%.

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.