Atlanta Consulting Group Advisors LLC Sells 920 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Atlanta Consulting Group Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 13.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,947 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 920 shares during the period. Atlanta Consulting Group Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,356,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.5 %

UNP opened at $237.71 on Monday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $242.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.62. The company has a market capitalization of $143.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.43, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.07. 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 (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 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 quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. Analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued 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 yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Benchmark raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction 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 in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Profile

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.