Columbia Asset Management Buys 690 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Columbia Asset Management raised its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 3.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 23,296 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 690 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises approximately 1.1% of Columbia Asset Management’s holdings, making the stock its 25th biggest position. Columbia Asset Management’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,360,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LGT Group Foundation increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.7% in the 1st quarter. LGT Group Foundation now owns 5,398 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,275,000 after acquiring an additional 477 shares during the last quarter. Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $988,822,000. SlateStone Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 13,264 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,133,000 after buying an additional 772 shares in the last quarter. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 10.9% in the 1st quarter. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,666 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $866,000 after buying an additional 359 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 16.8% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 10,545 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,491,000 after buying an additional 1,520 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 25th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Robert W. Baird started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $231.00 price objective for the company. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $260.00.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock opened at $236.40 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $256.84. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $223.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $224.54. The stock has a market cap of $140.19 billion, a PE ratio of 20.54, a P/E/G ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.03.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.74 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th were given a $1.38 dividend. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 47.96%.

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.