Barnett & Company Inc. Trims Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Barnett & Company Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 51.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,343 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 5,700 shares during the period. Union Pacific comprises approximately 1.1% of Barnett & Company Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Barnett & Company Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,262,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 103.5% during the 1st quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 50.5% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its position in Union Pacific by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IMA Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Stephens cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Barclays cut Union Pacific from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock opened at $222.27 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $131.82 billion, a PE ratio of 19.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $227.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $230.45.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid 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 yield of 2.5%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.57%.

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.