Middleton & Co. Inc. MA Sells 238 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Middleton & Co. Inc. MA lowered its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 7,029 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 238 shares during the period. Middleton & Co. Inc. MA’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,590,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BNP Paribas purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp increased its position in Union Pacific by 10.8% during the fourth quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $558,542,000 after acquiring an additional 222,318 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 19.0% in the first quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $31,078,000 after acquiring an additional 20,173 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,511,000 after purchasing an additional 4,089 shares during the last quarter. Finally, M&G Plc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at about $10,378,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock opened at $251.13 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $152.99 billion, a PE ratio of 23.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $244.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $239.16. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66. 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 released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 EPS. The business’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.15%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the topic of several recent research reports. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Barclays decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Daiwa America lowered Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Eight 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average 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.