NEOS Investment Management LLC Increases Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

NEOS Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 10.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 43,880 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,320 shares during the period. NEOS Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $10,006,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,035,905,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its position 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 acquiring an additional 918,248 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 33,228.4% in the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 35.8% in 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 purchasing an additional 323,525 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.0 %

UNP stock opened at $238.04 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $243.12 and a 200 day moving average price of $239.72. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The firm has a market cap of $143.84 billion, a PE ratio of 21.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. 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 EPS 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 previous year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date 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%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

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 shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target 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. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

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.