Cwm LLC Acquires 6,441 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Cwm LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.7% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 142,178 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,441 shares during the period. Cwm LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $32,169,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 211.4% in the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP traded down $1.75 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $236.80. 1,939,231 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,306,879. The company has a market cap of $144.48 billion, a PE ratio of 22.60, a P/E/G ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $199.33 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $230.96 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.22.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.57 EPS. Research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.12 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have commented on UNP. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 8th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, insider Whited Elizabeth 3,553 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, insider Whited Elizabeth 3,553 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.