Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Co Has $19.95 Million Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Co raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 33.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 87,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 22,000 shares during the quarter. Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Co’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $19,954,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% in the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 5.0 %

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $212.86 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $242.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $238.85. 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 stock has a market cap of $127.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $212.55 and a 52-week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 last year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the 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 owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, 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.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Susquehanna decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Guggenheim increased 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. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, TD Cowen raised 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. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.95.

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.