Northwest Wealth Management LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Northwest Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,415 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 140 shares during the quarter. Northwest Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,007,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $6,109,829,000 after buying an additional 217,780 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after purchasing an additional 182,620 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,437,948,000 after purchasing an additional 20,099 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,020,107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,237,356,000 after purchasing an additional 31,899 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $234.36 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The company has a market capitalization of $141.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.13, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $241.93 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $240.85. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.29%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have commented on UNP. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Guggenheim upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Union Pacific Company 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.