Ellis Investment Partners LLC Has $3.32 Million Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Ellis Investment Partners LLC reduced its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 14,567 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 78 shares during the quarter. Ellis Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,322,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 918,248 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 19,878.6% during 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 during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings 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 valued at $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2,025.4% during the 3rd 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. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC increased its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 464,477 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on UNP. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Benchmark increased their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value 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. This represents a 10.35 % 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 Price Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $249.27 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The company has a market capitalization of $151.12 billion, a PE ratio of 22.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.66. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $236.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $240.49.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS 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 quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced 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 of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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.