Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management Raises Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management increased its position in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 8.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,356 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 849 shares during the period. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,383,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mattern Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.5% in the second quarter. Mattern Capital Management LLC now owns 39,549 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $9,099,000 after acquiring an additional 968 shares during the last quarter. Hilltop National Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the second quarter worth $729,000. Triad Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 16.2% in the second quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,748 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $402,000 after acquiring an additional 244 shares during the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 10.5% in the second quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 74,179 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $17,067,000 after acquiring an additional 7,056 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jmac Enterprises LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 54.2% in the second quarter. Jmac Enterprises LLC now owns 2,561 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $589,000 after acquiring an additional 900 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.9%

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $236.60 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $140.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.56, a PEG ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $256.84. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $223.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $224.59.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its 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 the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.74 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th were issued a $1.38 dividend. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 47.96%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st. Argus cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 12th. UBS Group set a $253.00 target price on Union Pacific and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Susquehanna reissued a “positive” rating and issued a $272.00 target price (up from $257.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $260.54.

Union Pacific Company 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.