Capital World Investors Trims Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Capital World Investors lessened its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 22.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 3,819,124 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,133,887 shares during the quarter. Capital World Investors’ holdings in Union Pacific were worth $870,913,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after acquiring an additional 1,616,895 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 5.0% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,752,804,000 after purchasing an additional 363,937 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,439,861 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,468,546,000 after buying an additional 285,401 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,437,948,000 after buying an additional 20,099 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $220.26 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $235.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $236.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $132.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.86, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.43%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have issued reports on UNP. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Guggenheim lifted their price target 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. Citigroup raised shares of Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Raymond James decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.50.

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.