Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Stock Holdings Lessened by Montag A & Associates Inc.

Montag A & Associates Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.7% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 25,645 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,845 shares during the quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,802,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Norges Bank bought a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $1,832,127,000. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 23.1% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,851,767 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,682,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,285,144 shares during the period. Winslow Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $293,162,000. Capital World Investors boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 35.3% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after buying an additional 1,073,625 shares during the period. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 115.3% in the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 1,070,123 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $262,844,000 after buying an additional 573,072 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.7 %

NYSE:UNP traded up $4.21 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $256.09. 2,386,564 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,903,351. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $199.33 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The firm has a market cap of $156.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $237.66 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.14.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.57 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.09%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $281.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Susquehanna reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

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.