Lecap Asset Management Ltd. Decreases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Lecap Asset Management Ltd. cut its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 50.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,549 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 6,602 shares during the quarter. Lecap Asset Management Ltd.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,482,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 211.4% in the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter worth about $30,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE UNP traded down $0.90 on Wednesday, hitting $245.60. 1,482,848 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,269,418. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $199.33 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $233.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $239.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $149.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.06. 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 issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.57 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.18%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were 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 owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on UNP shares. Evercore ISI increased 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. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 8th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Seven 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 a consensus 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.