Advisory Services Network LLC Cuts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Advisory Services Network LLC cut its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 22,623 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 75 shares during the period. Advisory Services Network LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,159,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 112.1% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 61,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $14,024,000 after purchasing an additional 32,500 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 387.7% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 422,485 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $96,343,000 after purchasing an additional 335,855 shares during the period. Canopy Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Canopy Partners LLC now owns 2,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $544,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Elgethun Capital Management increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 8.1% in the 4th quarter. Elgethun Capital Management now owns 1,421 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $324,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares during the period. Finally, Twin Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 35.6% in the 4th quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,537 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,035,000 after acquiring an additional 1,190 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Guggenheim boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. 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 report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $260.32.

Union Pacific Trading Up 7.4 %

UNP opened at $223.77 on Thursday. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $134.11 billion, a PE ratio of 20.18, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $238.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $237.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the 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 sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, 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. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.