Union Pacific Corporation $UNP Shares Sold by Fruth Investment Management

Fruth Investment Management lessened its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 0.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 15,616 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 100 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for 1.0% of Fruth Investment Management’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest position. Fruth Investment Management’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,689,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% during the first quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1,400.0% during the first quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 120 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth about $32,000. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 50.5% during the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $215.96 on Friday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $256.84. The firm has a market cap of $128.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.76, a PEG ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.65. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $224.89 and its 200-day simple moving average is $226.27.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.74 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate 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 will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a $1.38 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 47.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $263.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Barclays lowered Union Pacific from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. UBS Group lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Citigroup lowered Union Pacific from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Robert W. Baird started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a “neutral” rating and a $231.00 target price on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.21.

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.