Argent Trust Co Sells 279 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Argent Trust Co lowered its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 25,687 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 279 shares during the period. Argent Trust Co’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,812,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BNP Paribas acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp increased its position in Union Pacific by 10.8% during the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $558,542,000 after purchasing an additional 222,318 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its position in Union Pacific by 19.0% during the 1st quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,078,000 after purchasing an additional 20,173 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its position in Union Pacific by 5.7% during the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,511,000 after purchasing an additional 4,089 shares in the last quarter. Finally, M&G Plc acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $10,378,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

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 on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have issued reports on UNP. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Daiwa America lowered shares of 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 given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $253.55 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $154.70 billion, a PE ratio of 24.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $199.33 and a 12-month high of $258.66. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $244.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $239.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders 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 2.11%. 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 (DPR) is 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.