Providence Capital Advisors LLC Grows Stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Providence Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 5.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 26,740 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 1,281 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific makes up about 1.3% of Providence Capital Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Providence Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $6,317,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $221.62 on Friday. 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 one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $131.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.25, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.05. The business has a fifty day moving average of $227.11 and a 200 day moving average of $229.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.74 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. UBS Group increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Barclays cut Union Pacific from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Bank of America raised their target price on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.21.

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.