Appleton Partners Inc. MA Sells 388 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Appleton Partners Inc. MA lowered its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 11.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,961 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 388 shares during the period. Appleton Partners Inc. MA’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $681,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 103.5% in the first quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 1,400.0% in the first quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 120 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $32,000. WPG Advisers LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 50.5% in the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $237.33 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $223.83 and a 200-day moving average of $224.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market cap of $140.77 billion, a PE ratio of 20.62, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $256.84.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.74 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th were paid a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 47.96%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Susquehanna reaffirmed a “positive” rating and issued a $272.00 target price (up previously from $257.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, September 25th. Baird R W upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Loop Capital upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and increased their price target for the company from $214.00 to $227.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 16th. Evercore ISI cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $260.54.

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.