Reaves W H & Co. Inc. Trims Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Reaves W H & Co. Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 37.3% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 188,538 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 112,099 shares during the quarter. Reaves W H & Co. Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $44,565,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Midwest Trust Co lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Midwest Trust Co now owns 281,036 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $66,428,000 after purchasing an additional 7,759 shares in the last quarter. Rockland Trust Co. raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 12.9% in the third quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 154,012 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $36,404,000 after buying an additional 17,540 shares during the last quarter. First National Trust Co lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.4% during the third quarter. First National Trust Co now owns 39,433 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $9,321,000 after buying an additional 1,313 shares during the period. Navellier & Associates Inc. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 27.5% during the third quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc. now owns 6,985 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,651,000 after acquiring an additional 1,505 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prospera Financial Services Inc boosted its position in Union Pacific by 4.1% during the third quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 66,470 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $15,716,000 after acquiring an additional 2,619 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $254.46 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $234.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $227.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $150.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.26, a PEG ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.98. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $254.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.91.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.92 by ($0.06). Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.12% and a return on equity of 40.89%. The business had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.91 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 46.12%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets set a $255.00 price target on Union Pacific in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Susquehanna reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, January 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 price target on Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $267.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up from $270.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.32.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.