Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Purchased by Parnassus Investments LLC

Parnassus Investments LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.0% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 483,143 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 185 shares during the period. Parnassus Investments LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $110,176,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Dunhill Financial LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 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 assigned a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

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 stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $234.36 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $141.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.13, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The business’s 50 day moving average is $241.93 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.85. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. Research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) 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.