Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC Invests $3.55 Million in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm acquired 13,067 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $3,554,000.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 92.1% during the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 20,136,349 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $4,658,142,000 after buying an additional 9,655,306 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $1,779,907,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 72.7% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 9,177,002 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,169,168,000 after buying an additional 3,861,636 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 26.0% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,980,904 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,540,105,000 after buying an additional 2,267,708 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 16.8% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 14,463,071 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,509,030,000 after acquiring an additional 2,084,808 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $310.00 target price (up from $286.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $311.00 to $344.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $339.00 price objective (up from $289.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, July 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $304.00 to $334.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Benchmark upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $320.89.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total transaction of $789,504.36. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 43,012 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,353,447.52. This represents a 6.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.6%

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $309.83 on Tuesday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $210.84 and a 52-week high of $315.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.99. The business has a fifty day moving average of $287.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of $268.31. The stock has a market cap of $184.06 billion, a PE ratio of 25.09, a PEG ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.96.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.26 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $6.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.72 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.85% and a return on equity of 38.46%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 11.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.03 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be given a $1.42 dividend. This represents a $5.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 31st. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.99%.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.