Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Stock Holdings Lessened by Associated Banc Corp

Associated Banc Corp lowered its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 91,843 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 3,528 shares during the period. Associated Banc Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $20,944,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC raised its stake 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. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.5 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $237.71 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. 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 Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $242.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 last year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given 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 dividend payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were 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 owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

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.