Certified Advisory Corp Reduces Stock Position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Certified Advisory Corp cut its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 3.5% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,777 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 64 shares during the period. Certified Advisory Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $420,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Research Global Investors grew its position in Union Pacific by 14.3% in the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,370,559,000 after acquiring an additional 1,298,178 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp grew its position in Union Pacific by 15.2% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,587,763,000 after acquiring an additional 920,414 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its position in Union Pacific by 1.6% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,594,882 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,503,899,000 after acquiring an additional 105,111 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Union Pacific by 4.6% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,439,861 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,468,546,000 after acquiring an additional 285,401 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 35.2% in the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,968,658 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,133,053,000 after acquiring an additional 1,294,643 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.2%

Union Pacific stock opened at $219.31 on Friday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1-year low of $204.66 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The stock has a market cap of $130.06 billion, a PE ratio of 19.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.05. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $227.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $230.86.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.74 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 47.96%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on UNP. Argus upgraded Union Pacific to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Raymond James Financial restated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. UBS Group raised their price target on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Susquehanna lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $257.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Baird R W upgraded Union Pacific to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. 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 assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average 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.