Optas LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Optas LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 4.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,885 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 407 shares during the quarter. Optas LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,274,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LGT Group Foundation raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.7% in the first quarter. LGT Group Foundation now owns 5,398 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,275,000 after acquiring an additional 477 shares during the period. Nuveen LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $988,822,000. SlateStone Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 6.2% in the first quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 13,264 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,133,000 after acquiring an additional 772 shares during the period. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 10.9% in the first quarter. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,666 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $866,000 after acquiring an additional 359 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 16.8% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 10,545 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,491,000 after acquiring an additional 1,520 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.4%

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $232.72 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $256.84. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $224.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $224.57. The stock has a market cap of $138.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.22, a PEG ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.74 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th were paid a dividend of $1.38 per share. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. Baird R W raised shares of Union Pacific to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Loop Capital upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $214.00 to $227.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 16th. Citigroup upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $250.00 to $251.00 in a report on Monday, September 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.08.

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.