North Star Asset Management Inc. Reduces Stock Position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

North Star Asset Management Inc. trimmed its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 5.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 35,580 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,976 shares during the quarter. North Star Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,405,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Tower Bridge Advisors boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the first quarter. Tower Bridge Advisors now owns 21,092 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,983,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 18.9% during the 1st quarter. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft now owns 1,219 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $278,000 after buying an additional 194 shares during the last quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 13,264 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,133,000 after buying an additional 772 shares during the period. Arkadios Wealth Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 105.8% in the 1st quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 5,502 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,300,000 after buying an additional 2,828 shares during the period. Finally, First National Trust Co boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 14.0% in the first quarter. First National Trust Co now owns 38,698 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $9,142,000 after buying an additional 4,750 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently weighed in on UNP. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Redburn Atlantic raised shares of Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $259.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Baird R W upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.46.

Union Pacific Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $223.82 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $133.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.45, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.05. The business has a fifty day moving average of $227.07 and a two-hundred day moving average of $231.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.74 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.47%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.96%.

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.