Patron Partners LLC Decreases Stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Patron Partners LLC cut its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 11.0% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,771 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 468 shares during the period. Patron Partners LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $891,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $1,927,377,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,035,905,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 27,502.8% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,491,151 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $588,510,000 after purchasing an additional 2,482,126 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after purchasing an additional 1,616,895 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 14.3% in the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,370,559,000 after purchasing an additional 1,298,178 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.9%

Shares of UNP stock opened at $231.36 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $138.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.84, a PEG ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1-year low of $204.66 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $222.11 and its 200-day simple moving average is $230.72.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.76% and a return on equity of 40.80%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.11 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.69 EPS. The business’s revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.32%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on UNP. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.39.

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.