Achmea Investment Management B.V. Purchases 1,739 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Achmea Investment Management B.V. increased its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 91.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,633 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,739 shares during the quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $828,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price objective (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’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 transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, 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 owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $237.71 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization 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 $240.71.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

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

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.