Sapient Capital LLC Has $26.01 Million Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Sapient Capital LLC lowered its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 38.4% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 114,047 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 71,119 shares during the period. Sapient Capital LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $26,007,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Roble Belko & Company Inc increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% in the 4th quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Pflug Koory LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,954,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $321,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $381,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, True Link Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.2% during the third quarter. True Link Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,016 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $990,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, 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 value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $244.35 on Tuesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $235.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The company has a market cap of $148.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 period in the previous year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company 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 of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Company 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.