Wealth Architects LLC Cuts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Wealth Architects LLC lessened its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 7.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 895 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 77 shares during the quarter. Wealth Architects LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $204,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Roble Belko & Company Inc boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% in the fourth quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Pflug Koory LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,954,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Regatta Capital Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $381,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC now owns 3,458 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $789,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.2 %

UNP stock opened at $238.02 on Tuesday. 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 Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $143.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $242.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $240.52.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 previous year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders 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 yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company 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.