Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL Buys New Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 115 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $28,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Marshall Wace LLP increased its stake in Union Pacific by 272.3% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $379,689,000 after purchasing an additional 1,227,318 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 35.3% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after acquiring an additional 1,073,625 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 7.6% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,812,689,000 after acquiring an additional 518,985 shares in the last quarter. Junto Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $123,297,000. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 186.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after acquiring an additional 458,664 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Daiwa America lowered Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.32.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $240.64 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $246.21 and a 200-day moving average price of $238.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.96, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly 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 firm had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.1 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm 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 dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

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.