Congress Wealth Management LLC DE Increases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Congress Wealth Management LLC DE increased its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,471 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 403 shares during the period. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,704,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $40,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % 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, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were 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 directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.0 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $238.04 on Thursday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $243.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.72. The firm has a market capitalization of $143.84 billion, a PE ratio of 21.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. Research 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 issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. Benchmark boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

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.