Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Has $136.77 Million Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 10.2% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 604,475 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 56,171 shares during the quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. owned 0.10% of Union Pacific worth $136,769,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Professional Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 1.3% during the second quarter. Professional Financial Advisors LLC now owns 19,455 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,402,000 after buying an additional 247 shares during the period. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter valued at about $468,000. Home Federal Bank of Tennessee increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 14.0% in the 2nd quarter. Home Federal Bank of Tennessee now owns 1,020 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $231,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the period. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.3% in the second quarter. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC now owns 25,065 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,671,000 after purchasing an additional 574 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Comprehensive Financial Consultants Institutional Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 10.8% during the second quarter. Comprehensive Financial Consultants Institutional Inc. now owns 15,941 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,607,000 after purchasing an additional 1,558 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP traded up $0.82 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $244.53. The stock had a trading volume of 1,943,542 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,282,628. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.33, a PEG ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.33 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $232.77 and its 200-day simple moving average is $239.11.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.57 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm 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 $1.34 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.19%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $280.00 price objective (up from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 26th. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price target for the company. Seven 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, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.