RiverFront Investment Group LLC Sells 178 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

RiverFront Investment Group LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,658 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 178 shares during the period. RiverFront Investment Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $606,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of UNP. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,927,377,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $1,035,905,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. boosted 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 acquiring an additional 918,248 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew 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 worth $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 33,228.4% during the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $114,991,000 after acquiring an additional 502,745 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.7 %

UNP opened at $232.06 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $243.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.47. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The company has a market capitalization of $140.23 billion, a PE ratio of 20.93, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced 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. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report 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 assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $262.76.

Union Pacific Company 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.