Capital International Investors Sells 1,616,851 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Capital International Investors lessened its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 15.7% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 8,710,225 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,616,851 shares during the period. Capital International Investors’ holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,986,279,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. Benchmark lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup upgraded Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic raised shares of Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $259.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $257.50.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.7 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $220.26 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $235.57 and its 200 day moving average is $236.64. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $132.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.86, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 business posted $2.71 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific 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 value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed 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 on Friday, January 24th. The stock was 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 in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

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.