Smithfield Trust Co Cuts Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Smithfield Trust Co decreased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 18,821 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 92 shares during the period. Smithfield Trust Co’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,291,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 111.5% in the 3rd 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. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on UNP. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price objective (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.40.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.8 %

UNP opened at $241.43 on Wednesday. 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 company has a market capitalization of $145.90 billion, a PE ratio of 21.77, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $240.06 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $240.95.

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, 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 in the prior year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.22%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific 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.