Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Prudential Financial Inc.

Prudential Financial Inc. reduced its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 28.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 450,816 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 183,145 shares during the period. Prudential Financial Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $102,804,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. ICW Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 7.9% in the fourth quarter. ICW Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,058 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,153,000 after acquiring an additional 372 shares during the period. TAGStone Capital Inc. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. TAGStone Capital Inc. now owns 14,426 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,290,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the period. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE boosted its position in Union Pacific by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE now owns 7,471 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,704,000 after purchasing an additional 403 shares in the last quarter. Horrell Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Horrell Capital Management Inc. now owns 76,824 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $17,519,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the period. Finally, Crowley Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $86,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets lifted 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. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $235.20 on Tuesday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $242.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.83. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month 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. The company has a market capitalization of $142.13 billion, a PE ratio of 21.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 previous year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. Analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm 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. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.28%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

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.