Simplicity Wealth LLC Purchases 1,825 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Simplicity Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 24.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,413 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,825 shares during the quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,560,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNP. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 40.4% during the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,312 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $546,000 after buying an additional 665 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 20,606 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,741,000 after buying an additional 102 shares during the period. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 3,733 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $859,000 after buying an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 10.0% in the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 6,091 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,401,000 after buying an additional 554 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 7.4% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,528,426 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $351,660,000 after acquiring an additional 105,664 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UNP. Citizens Jmp started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $350.00 target price on the stock. Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $305.00 to $333.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $310.00 price objective (up from $286.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, July 24th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $350.00 price objective (up from $315.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Union Pacific from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $320.89.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total value of $789,504.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 43,012 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,353,447.52. The trade was a 6.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.22% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $299.10 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The firm has a market cap of $177.69 billion, a PE ratio of 24.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.96. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $210.84 and a 12 month high of $315.99. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $284.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $266.34.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.26 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.85% and a return on equity of 38.46%. The company had revenue of $6.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.72 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.03 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Monday, August 31st will be issued a dividend of $1.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $5.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 44.70%.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two?thirds of the United States.