Associated Banc Corp Has $20.94 Million Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Associated Banc Corp lessened its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 91,843 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 3,528 shares during the period. Associated Banc Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $20,944,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp raised its position in Union Pacific by 0.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after purchasing an additional 182,620 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in 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 purchasing an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,437,948,000 after purchasing an additional 20,099 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,020,107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,237,356,000 after purchasing an additional 31,899 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value 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. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $237.71 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $218.55 and a 52-week high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a PE ratio of 21.43, a PEG 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. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $242.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 last year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current 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 issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on UNP. Loop Capital cut 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 research note on Monday, February 3rd. Guggenheim upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

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.