Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC Has $30.23 Million Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.5% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 132,571 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 5,725 shares during the quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $30,232,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 74.7% in the fourth quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $489,600,000 after purchasing an additional 918,248 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc grew its stake in Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in the third quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $134,636,000 after purchasing an additional 520,536 shares in the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 33,228.4% in the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $114,991,000 after purchasing an additional 502,745 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 170.9% in the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $181,470,000 after purchasing an additional 464,477 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.5 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $245.50 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $239.83 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.97. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The stock has a market cap of $148.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly 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 period in the previous year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.18%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barclays boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim upped their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

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.