Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Acquired by Edge Capital Group LLC

Edge Capital Group LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 11,951 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 682 shares during the quarter. Edge Capital Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,725,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 74.7% in the fourth quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $489,600,000 after buying an additional 918,248 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in the third quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $134,636,000 after acquiring an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 170.9% in the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $181,470,000 after acquiring an additional 464,477 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 35.8% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,226,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $279,600,000 after buying an additional 323,525 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.9 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $245.43 on Monday. 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 fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $237.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.73. The stock has a market cap of $148.31 billion, a PE ratio of 22.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared 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 2.18%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, 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 completion of 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of 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 issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.40.

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.