Norris Perne & French LLP MI Has $29.71 Million Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Norris Perne & French LLP MI lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 40.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 130,292 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 37,399 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises approximately 2.1% of Norris Perne & French LLP MI’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Norris Perne & French LLP MI’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $29,712,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 19,878.6% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $220,856,000 after acquiring an additional 891,555 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in the third quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $134,636,000 after acquiring an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 170.9% in the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $181,470,000 after purchasing an additional 464,477 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 35.8% in the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,226,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $279,600,000 after buying an additional 323,525 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.1 %

UNP stock opened at $249.75 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $151.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $235.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $240.01. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.03 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UNP. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price objective (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Eight 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. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.30.

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.