Private Advisor Group LLC Reduces Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Private Advisor Group LLC lessened its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 43,099 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 224 shares during the quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $10,586,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 108.9% in the third quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,128,575 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $840,702,000 after acquiring an additional 2,151,893 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 62.8% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,496,708 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,119,295,000 after purchasing an additional 2,119,382 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 65.5% during the 3rd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 2,348,496 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $478,224,000 after purchasing an additional 929,495 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 331.7% in the fourth quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 1,143,298 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $280,817,000 after buying an additional 878,490 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 20,736.8% during the fourth quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 803,677 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $197,399,000 after acquiring an additional 799,820 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock traded up $2.94 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $242.15. The stock had a trading volume of 647,546 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,282,422. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $147.74 billion, a PE ratio of 22.83, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $242.69 and its 200 day moving average is $236.57. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $190.71 and a twelve month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.67 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 49.62%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $280.00 price target (up from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $248.00 to $267.00 in a report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.61.

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.