Marco Investment Management LLC Sells 419 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Marco Investment Management LLC lessened its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.7% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 56,474 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 419 shares during the period. Union Pacific comprises about 1.1% of Marco Investment Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. Marco Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,878,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% during the fourth quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Pflug Koory LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,954,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $321,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Regatta Capital Group LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $381,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 1,786 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $407,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $245.15 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $240.64 and a 200-day simple moving average of $241.00. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-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 stock has a market cap of $148.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

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, 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 business posted $2.71 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders 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 2.19%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $261.40.

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.