Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Stock Holdings Raised by PFG Advisors

PFG Advisors lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 17,491 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the period. PFG Advisors’ holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,989,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 609,588 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $139,010,000 after acquiring an additional 19,039 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 25,751 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,872,000 after purchasing an additional 437 shares during the last quarter. Natural Investments LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $2,264,000. AGF Management Ltd. increased its stake in Union Pacific by 7.7% during the fourth quarter. AGF Management Ltd. now owns 45,762 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $10,436,000 after purchasing an additional 3,277 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GC Wealth Management RIA LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC now owns 1,971 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $449,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Guggenheim boosted 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. TD Cowen upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.00.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $237.72 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $218.55 and a 52-week high of $258.07. 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 firm has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.44, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $241.63 and its 200 day moving average price is $240.91.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share 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 last year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.26% 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.