Investment House LLC Boosts Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Investment House LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.9% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 55,217 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 485 shares during the quarter. Investment House LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,592,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNP. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $1,035,905,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its position in Union Pacific by 74.7% during the 4th quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $489,600,000 after purchasing an additional 918,248 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 33,228.4% during the 4th quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $114,991,000 after purchasing an additional 502,745 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 170.9% during the 3rd 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. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. 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. Finally, Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $236.84 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $143.12 billion, a PE ratio of 21.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $242.35 and its 200-day simple moving average is $240.38. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 in the prior year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.26%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

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.