Country Trust Bank Acquires 619 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Country Trust Bank raised its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 257.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 859 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 619 shares during the period. Country Trust Bank’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $196,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 38.9% during the second quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 154,543 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $34,967,000 after acquiring an additional 43,256 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.5% in the second quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 42,795 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $9,683,000 after purchasing an additional 1,037 shares during the last quarter. Davis Capital Management increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.5% during the third quarter. Davis Capital Management now owns 7,657 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,887,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares during the period. Finally, Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH now owns 15,683 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,866,000 after purchasing an additional 419 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.1 %

UNP opened at $249.75 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $235.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $151.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.52, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued 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 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have commented on UNP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Benchmark increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.30.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate 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.