Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co Sells 11,651 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co lowered its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 10.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 97,901 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 11,651 shares during the quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $22,151,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ballentine Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 12,208 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,762,000 after purchasing an additional 227 shares during the last quarter. Caprock Group LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 86.9% during the second quarter. Caprock Group LLC now owns 12,694 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,872,000 after purchasing an additional 5,902 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Union Pacific by 3,250.0% in the second quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 134 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Lynch & Associates IN increased its position in Union Pacific by 3.8% in the second quarter. Lynch & Associates IN now owns 7,122 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,611,000 after buying an additional 263 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Anchor Capital Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.4% in the second quarter. Anchor Capital Advisors LLC now owns 66,690 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $15,089,000 after buying an additional 249 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded down $1.90 on Friday, reaching $249.63. 2,406,225 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,268,389. The stock has a market capitalization of $152.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.05. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $240.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $239.32. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $199.33 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.57 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, 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. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 51.15%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Daiwa America downgraded Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. 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. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.79.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Profile

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.