Howe & Rusling Inc. Lowers Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Howe & Rusling Inc. cut its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.8% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 49,518 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 406 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises about 1.0% of Howe & Rusling Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 28th largest position. Howe & Rusling Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $11,292,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Howard Capital Management Group LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 16.4% during the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $705,000 after buying an additional 403 shares during the period. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 40.2% in the 3rd quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 30,837 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $7,601,000 after acquiring an additional 8,847 shares during the last quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 3,175 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $783,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the period. FMR LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,020,107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,237,356,000 after acquiring an additional 31,899 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Avestar Capital LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 9.9% in the 3rd quarter. Avestar Capital LLC now owns 3,101 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $764,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’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 sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % 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 insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Guggenheim raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price objective (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced 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. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.0 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $238.04 on Thursday. 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 business’s fifty day simple moving average is $243.12 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.72. The company has a market capitalization of $143.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

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, 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 last year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s 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.