Farmers Trust Co. Acquires 866 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Farmers Trust Co. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 7.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 13,021 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 866 shares during the period. Farmers Trust Co.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,209,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marshall Wace LLP grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 272.3% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $379,689,000 after buying an additional 1,227,318 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 35.3% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,012,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,073,625 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors increased its position in Union Pacific by 7.6% during the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares during the period. Junto Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $123,297,000. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 186.4% in the second quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after acquiring an additional 458,664 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Evercore ISI lowered Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Daiwa America downgraded Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. Finally, Barclays cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.32.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.1 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $240.64 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.33 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $246.21 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $238.87.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th were issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.23%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.