Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC Acquires 251 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 15.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,828 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 251 shares during the period. Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $414,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of UNP. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,832,127,000. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in 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. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,867,842 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,441,260,000 after acquiring an additional 125,522 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 7.1% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,504,181 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,351,937,000 after acquiring an additional 364,029 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,396,974 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,081,348,000 after acquiring an additional 237,083 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP traded up $2.53 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $246.85. The company had a trading volume of 2,449,222 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,270,696. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $234.81 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.07. The company has a market capitalization of $150.61 billion, a PE ratio of 23.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $199.33 and a twelve month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. 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. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.15%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’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 completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. 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 report on Wednesday, July 17th. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $280.00 price target (up previously from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted 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. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus 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.