Smartleaf Asset Management LLC Increases Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 9.9% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 8,064 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 724 shares during the quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,837,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of UNP. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 74.7% during 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 last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during 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. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased 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 valued at $134,636,000 after buying an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased 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 valued at $114,991,000 after buying an additional 502,745 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 170.9% in the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $181,470,000 after buying an additional 464,477 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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 sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were 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 directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $246.94 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $149.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The business’s fifty day moving average is $239.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.96. 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 posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 period in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

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 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.17%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report 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 report on Tuesday, January 7th. 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 report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

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.