Biltmore Family Office LLC Boosts Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Biltmore Family Office LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,024 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 123 shares during the quarter. Biltmore Family Office LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,816,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AGF Management Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 77.2% during the second quarter. AGF Management Ltd. now owns 44,558 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $10,082,000 after purchasing an additional 19,411 shares in the last quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.3% during the second quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC now owns 9,807 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,219,000 after purchasing an additional 497 shares in the last quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.6% during the second quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,256 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,415,000 after purchasing an additional 334 shares in the last quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 19.5% during the second quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,719 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $615,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Malaga Cove Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% during the second quarter. Malaga Cove Capital LLC now owns 3,693 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $836,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently commented on UNP. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 8th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. TD Cowen dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price 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. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.79.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related 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 value of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $252.58 on Wednesday. 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 Co. has a fifty-two week low of $199.33 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $241.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $239.18. The company has a market capitalization of $153.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.10, a PEG ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current 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 paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.12%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

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.