Aptus Capital Advisors LLC Grows Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Aptus Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 44.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,005 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 2,472 shares during the quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,973,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Forum Financial Management LP boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 7,037 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,731,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $584,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management raised its position in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the second quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 8,202 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,856,000 after buying an additional 43 shares during the period. Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADV grew its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADV now owns 8,384 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,897,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Beaumont Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 1.0% during the first quarter. Beaumont Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,595 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,130,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Trading Down 2.0 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded down $4.83 during trading on Thursday, reaching $235.58. The stock had a trading volume of 2,742,769 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,315,955. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market cap of $142.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.07, a P/E/G ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.06. The firm's fifty day moving average is $242.46 and its 200 day moving average is $238.64. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $215.81 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The firm's revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.51 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Daiwa America cut shares of Union Pacific from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an "outperform" rating to an "inline" rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 25th. Finally, Raymond James raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, October 14th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $259.80.

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.