Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Position Increased by Banco Santander S.A.

Banco Santander S.A. raised its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 62.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,634 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 1,789 shares during the quarter. Banco Santander S.A.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,057,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective on the stock. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Guggenheim raised their price objective 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. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.9 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $249.84 on Monday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $241.04 and its 200-day simple moving average is $240.95. The company has a market cap of $150.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.53, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 business earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid 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 2.15%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were 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 position. 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 the business’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.