Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Purchased by Motley Fool Asset Management LLC

Motley Fool Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 14.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 31,650 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,908 shares during the period. Motley Fool Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $7,217,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of UNP. World Investment Advisors boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.6% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 37,577 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,569,000 after purchasing an additional 1,996 shares during the last quarter. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,936 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $661,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. SevenBridge Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 18.8% during the 4th quarter. SevenBridge Financial Group LLC now owns 8,487 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,103,000 after buying an additional 1,345 shares during the last quarter. OneAscent Financial Services LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 48.1% during the fourth quarter. OneAscent Financial Services LLC now owns 1,824 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $416,000 after buying an additional 592 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kesler Norman & Wride LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 6.7% in the fourth quarter. Kesler Norman & Wride LLC now owns 26,201 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,975,000 after buying an additional 1,640 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have weighed in on UNP. Benchmark raised their price objective 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. Susquehanna decreased their price target on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.95.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s 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 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 owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $238.34 on Thursday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The company has a market capitalization of $142.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.49, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $243.22 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.23. 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 issued 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 in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

About Union Pacific

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.