Aldebaran Financial Inc. Cuts Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Aldebaran Financial Inc. cut its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,701 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 175 shares during the period. Aldebaran Financial Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $611,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. 3Chopt Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter valued at about $203,000. SPC Financial Inc. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 10.5% during the second quarter. SPC Financial Inc. now owns 5,368 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,215,000 after buying an additional 511 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.8% in the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 930,747 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $210,591,000 after acquiring an additional 7,023 shares in the last quarter. Old North State Trust LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.3% in the second quarter. Old North State Trust LLC now owns 3,170 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $717,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EP Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 203,750 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $46,100,000 after acquiring an additional 5,992 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $246.48 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $245.87 and a 200-day simple moving average of $238.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $150.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.52, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.57 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.1 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.17%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on UNP. Evercore ISI cut shares of Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Barclays decreased their price target on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 26th. Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $288.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

About Union Pacific

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.