Generali Asset Management SPA SGR Makes New Investment in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 37,307 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $8,507,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% during 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 in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $238.02 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $143.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.46, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $242.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $240.52. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) 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 prior year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently commented on UNP. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. 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. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.