Brentview Investment Management LLC Boosts Stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Brentview Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 5.4% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 15,944 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 812 shares during the period. Union Pacific comprises approximately 2.0% of Brentview Investment Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Brentview Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,767,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.4% in the first quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 4,192 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $990,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the period. Cordatus Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 5.2% in the first quarter. Cordatus Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,248 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,712,000 after purchasing an additional 361 shares during the period. Hoxton Planning & Management LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter worth $560,000. Davis R M Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific by 1.7% in the first quarter. Davis R M Inc. now owns 160,113 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $37,825,000 after purchasing an additional 2,717 shares during the period. Finally, Natixis Advisors LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 521,916 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $123,297,000 after buying an additional 8,907 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $240.00 target price (up from $238.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Stephens reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $225.46 on Thursday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $227.11 and its 200-day moving average price is $230.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $133.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.59, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.05.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.45%. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 46.57%.

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.