MCF Advisors LLC Grows Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

MCF Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,555 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 238 shares during the quarter. MCF Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,031,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $251.53 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $240.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $153.23 billion, a PE ratio of 24.00, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.05. 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.

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, topping 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 company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.57 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.13%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific 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 value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $281.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 26th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has a consensus 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.