Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC Has $1.93 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC lessened its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 8,441 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 270 shares during the quarter. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,925,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. World Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 103.1% during the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $8,770,000 after purchasing an additional 18,060 shares in the last quarter. abrdn plc boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $94,588,000 after acquiring an additional 35,414 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $44,348,000 after acquiring an additional 4,939 shares during the period. Maj Invest Holding A S raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.3% during the third quarter. Maj Invest Holding A S now owns 676,098 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $166,645,000 after purchasing an additional 2,202 shares during the period. Finally, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 24.2% in the 4th quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $63,185,000 after purchasing an additional 53,946 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $242.12 on Friday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $235.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $240.17. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The company has a market cap of $146.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.83, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted 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 quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.21%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.33%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have commented on UNP. 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 research note on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Susquehanna cut their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price objective (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target 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.