Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Position Increased by DAVENPORT & Co LLC

DAVENPORT & Co LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 314,848 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,336 shares during the period. DAVENPORT & Co LLC owned 0.05% of Union Pacific worth $71,778,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Czech National Bank lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 6.7% in the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 124,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $30,588,000 after acquiring an additional 7,836 shares during the last quarter. Apella Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $240,000. Goelzer Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 30.4% in the 3rd quarter. Goelzer Investment Management Inc. now owns 23,265 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $5,734,000 after purchasing an additional 5,420 shares during the last quarter. Central Valley Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the third quarter. Central Valley Advisors LLC now owns 8,508 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,097,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Finally, waypoint wealth counsel bought a new position in Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at about $234,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. TD Cowen upped their price target on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.30.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $247.85 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $150.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.35, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $235.41 and a two-hundred day moving average of $240.16.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share 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 quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.03 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.16%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other 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 value of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 accessible through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific 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.