Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Sells 11,964 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP decreased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 3,272,777 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 11,964 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $740,466,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 211.4% in the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. Cultivar Capital Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock opened at $249.12 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The firm has a market cap of $151.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $243.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.08. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $199.33 and a 12 month high of $258.66.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 51.15%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on UNP. Barclays decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. TD Cowen reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Daiwa America lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average 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.