Zions Bancorporation N.A. Raises Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 14.0% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 20,151 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 2,480 shares during the quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,595,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC grew its position in shares of 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 in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $40,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $235.20 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $142.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $242.85 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.83.

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 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 company posted $2.71 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.28%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. Benchmark raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. One research 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.00.

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.