Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADV Buys 44 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADV raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 8,384 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADV’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,897,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 211.4% in the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the period. Cultivar Capital Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $256.08 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $199.33 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $237.06 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.12. The company has a market cap of $156.00 billion, a PE ratio of 24.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.57 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.09%. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on UNP. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective 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. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

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.