HMV Wealth Advisors LLC Invests $582,000 in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

HMV Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor bought 2,551 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $582,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Dunhill Financial LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.5 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $237.71 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a PE ratio of 21.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $242.05 and its 200 day moving average price is $240.77.

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 analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Raymond James reaffirmed 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. TD Cowen lifted 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. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” 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, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was 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 in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company 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.