Craig V. Richardson Sells 6,495 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Stock

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $249.67 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $234.77 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $239.94. The company has a market capitalization of $151.37 billion, a PE ratio of 22.93, a P/E/G ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 49.22%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the third quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 265.7% in the third quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the topic of several analyst reports. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.30.

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.