Puzo Michael J Cuts Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Puzo Michael J lowered its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 4.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 2,250 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 100 shares during the quarter. Puzo Michael J’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $513,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $1,927,377,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $1,035,905,000. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after acquiring an additional 1,616,895 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 74.7% in the fourth quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $489,600,000 after buying an additional 918,248 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, 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 value of $1,875,000.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly 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 transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 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. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $223.75 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.07. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $134.10 billion, a PE ratio of 20.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $242.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $239.13.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 previous year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were given a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.40%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Susquehanna reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Benchmark raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.95.

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.