Sharp Financial Services LLC Sells 225 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Sharp Financial Services LLC cut its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 9.0% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 2,281 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 225 shares during the period. Sharp Financial Services LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $539,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Assetmark Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 16.3% during the fourth quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 35,897 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,186,000 after purchasing an additional 5,035 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 46.1% during the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,211 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $504,000 after purchasing an additional 698 shares during the period. Aigen Investment Management LP raised its position in Union Pacific by 86.0% during the fourth quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 2,613 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $596,000 after purchasing an additional 1,208 shares during the period. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 3,503 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $799,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the period. Finally, Lindbrook Capital LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 3,020 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $689,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.3%

UNP opened at $236.45 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $224.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $230.79. The company has a market capitalization of $141.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.30, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.73 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.11 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 40.80% and a net margin of 27.76%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.69 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.27%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on UNP shares. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 25th. Citigroup upgraded Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $231.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Bank of America increased their price target on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $256.91.

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.