Capital Wealth Planning LLC Sells 9,316 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Capital Wealth Planning LLC trimmed its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 37.8% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 15,361 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 9,316 shares during the quarter. Capital Wealth Planning LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,503,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Howard Capital Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 16.4% in the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $705,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 8.2% in the third quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 42,944 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $10,585,000 after acquiring an additional 3,256 shares in the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.4% in the third quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 14,067 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,467,000 after acquiring an additional 328 shares in the last quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.7% in the third quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,895 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $467,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lowe Brockenbrough & Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 26.0% during the third quarter. Lowe Brockenbrough & Co. Inc. now owns 8,745 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,155,000 after purchasing an additional 1,803 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the 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 completion of the sale, 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Guggenheim upped their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Benchmark upped their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $246.94 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $239.46 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $240.96. The stock has a market cap of $149.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.27, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm 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 dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. 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.