Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Stock Position Decreased by SPC Financial Inc.

SPC Financial Inc. cut its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 5,098 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 220 shares during the quarter. SPC Financial Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,163,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 74.7% in the 4th quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $489,600,000 after buying an additional 918,248 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% in the third 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 period. Impax Asset Management Group plc grew its stake 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 worth $134,636,000 after acquiring an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 33,228.4% during the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $114,991,000 after acquiring an additional 502,745 shares during the period. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC raised its stake 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 during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on UNP. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective 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. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their target price for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.8 %

NYSE UNP opened at $241.43 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $240.06 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $240.95. The company has a market capitalization of $145.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.77, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (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 earned $2.71 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company 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 $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.22%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 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.