Ethos Financial Group LLC Has $233,000 Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Ethos Financial Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.9% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 1,020 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 57 shares during the quarter. Ethos Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $233,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Dunhill Financial LLC raised its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 68 shares during the period. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.6 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $245.15 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $240.64 and a 200-day moving average price of $241.00. The company has a market capitalization of $148.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.11, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. 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 earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective 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 downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

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.