Weaver Capital Management LLC Acquires 303 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Weaver Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,280 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the quarter. Weaver Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,204,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in Union Pacific by 265.7% during the 3rd quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Dunhill Financial LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Susquehanna reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific 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 completion of the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 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. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $243.46 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a market cap of $147.60 billion, a PE ratio of 21.95, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $235.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $240.11. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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 period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

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.