Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI Purchases 8,324 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI grew its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 30.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 35,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 8,324 shares during the quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,012,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of UNP. One Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the second quarter valued at $208,000. Capital Wealth Planning LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 360.3% in the second quarter. Capital Wealth Planning LLC now owns 24,709 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,591,000 after acquiring an additional 19,341 shares in the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the second quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 223,301 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $50,524,000 after acquiring an additional 1,162 shares during the last quarter. Quilter Plc raised its position in Union Pacific by 3.6% during the second quarter. Quilter Plc now owns 174,800 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,550,000 after purchasing an additional 5,999 shares during the period. Finally, Taurus Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. Taurus Asset Management LLC now owns 31,431 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $7,112,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s 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 completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNP. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 8th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. Daiwa America downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $275.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $249.12 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $151.76 billion, a PE ratio of 23.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $243.00 and its 200-day moving average price is $239.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $199.33 and a 52-week high of $258.66.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared 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. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

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.