Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI Grows Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI grew its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 30.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 35,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 8,324 shares during the period. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,012,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in UNP. BNP Paribas acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 10.8% during the fourth quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $558,542,000 after purchasing an additional 222,318 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 19.0% in the first quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $31,078,000 after buying an additional 20,173 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,511,000 after buying an additional 4,089 shares during the period. Finally, M&G Plc acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth approximately $10,378,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $249.12 on Monday. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $199.33 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $243.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $239.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $151.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. 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 (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during 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 quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.15%. 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 is presently 51.15%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 26th. Daiwa America cut shares of Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve 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 a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price 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.