Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. Acquires 33,601 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 217,456 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 33,601 shares during the period. Union Pacific accounts for 1.1% of Deprince Race & Zollo Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $49,202,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Forum Financial Management LP grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 7,037 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,731,000 after buying an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the first quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,015 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $741,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $584,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the second quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 8,202 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,856,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elevated Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,269 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $312,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on UNP shares. Bank of America cut their target price on Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Evercore ISI lowered Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.11.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.4 %

UNP stock opened at $245.56 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $245.73 and its 200 day moving average is $238.94. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $149.82 billion, a PE ratio of 23.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.18%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.