Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Arvest Investments Inc.

Arvest Investments Inc. lowered its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,634 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 476 shares during the quarter. Arvest Investments Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,513,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Roble Belko & Company Inc raised its stake in Union Pacific by 26.8% during the fourth quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Pflug Koory LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,954,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Mystic Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Mystic Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,309 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $527,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, Regatta Capital Group LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $381,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. Robert W. Baird increased 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. Guggenheim increased their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. 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 price target on the stock. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned 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, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Insider Activity

In other 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the 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 owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, 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.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $236.24 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $242.44 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $142.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.30, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.27%. 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.