Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Acquired by AE Wealth Management LLC

AE Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 56.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 96,640 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 34,993 shares during the quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $21,866,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 211.4% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the period. Cultivar Capital Inc. purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on UNP shares. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Susquehanna decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Daiwa America lowered shares of Union Pacific from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific 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 sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP traded down $3.05 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $245.39. 6,698,333 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,283,496. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $245.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.17. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $199.33 and a 12-month high of $258.66. 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 $149.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.57 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.15%.

Union Pacific 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.