Gardner Russo & Quinn LLC Raises Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Gardner Russo & Quinn LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 24,536 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific makes up 0.1% of Gardner Russo & Quinn LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest position. Gardner Russo & Quinn LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,595,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,146,451,000 after buying an additional 182,620 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,437,948,000 after acquiring an additional 20,099 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.7 %

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $232.06 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $243.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $239.56. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $140.23 billion, a PE ratio of 20.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.31%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. TD Cowen raised their price target on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific 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 issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $262.76.

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.