Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC Decreases Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC cut its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 55,019 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 317 shares during the quarter. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,546,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 918,248 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in shares of 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 period. Impax Asset Management Group plc boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in 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 purchasing an additional 520,536 shares in the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 33,228.4% in the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $114,991,000 after buying an additional 502,745 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC grew its stake 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 worth $181,470,000 after purchasing an additional 464,477 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on UNP. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.8 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $246.94 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $239.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market cap of $149.22 billion, a PE ratio of 22.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred 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 owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. This trade 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.

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.