Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA Sells 495,568 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA reduced its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 8,649,029 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 495,568 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,972,325,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 111.5% in the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the period. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup raised their price target on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $262.76.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific 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 owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, 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. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $237.11 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $142.10 billion, a PE ratio of 21.38, a P/E/G 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 business has a 50-day simple moving average of $243.17 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $239.24.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

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.