Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. Buys 115,931 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 18.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 752,078 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 115,931 shares during the period. Union Pacific accounts for about 1.6% of Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $184,960,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth about $252,000. Logan Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Logan Capital Management Inc. now owns 29,319 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,970,000 after purchasing an additional 235 shares in the last quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 132.2% in the 3rd quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 10,540 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,146,000 after purchasing an additional 6,001 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Advisors LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 12.7% in the 3rd quarter. Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 1,938 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $395,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LRT Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth about $847,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the subject of several analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 9th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective for the company. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.92.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.0 %

UNP traded down $0.06 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $224.80. 105,561 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,292,536. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The business’s 50 day moving average is $233.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.32. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $199.33 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The stock has a market cap of $137.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.46, a PEG ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 31st. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.31%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

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.