Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) is Partners Group Holding AG’s 5th Largest Position

Partners Group Holding AG lessened its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.7% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 260,524 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 7,113 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for approximately 2.1% of Partners Group Holding AG’s holdings, making the stock its 5th largest position. Partners Group Holding AG’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $59,410,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,035,905,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 74.7% during the 4th 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 during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC lifted its position 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 worth $114,991,000 after buying an additional 502,745 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 35.8% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,226,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $279,600,000 after buying an additional 323,525 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE UNP opened at $233.79 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $242.68 and a 200 day moving average of $240.05. The company has a market capitalization of $141.28 billion, a PE ratio of 21.08, 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 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 prior year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.29%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating 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 assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 sale, 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 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 transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % 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 insiders.

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.