Great Lakes Advisors LLC Cuts Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Great Lakes Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 13,712 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 424 shares during the quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,127,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $1,035,905,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its holdings in 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 purchasing an additional 918,248 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc grew its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 33,228.4% in the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $114,991,000 after purchasing an additional 502,745 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s 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 transaction, the executive vice president now 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. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.5 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $237.71 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $242.05 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $240.77. The company has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77.

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 analysts’ consensus estimates 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 prior year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have issued reports on UNP shares. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

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.