Jacobs & Co. CA Reduces Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Jacobs & Co. CA cut its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 59,847 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 747 shares during the period. Union Pacific accounts for approximately 1.7% of Jacobs & Co. CA’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Jacobs & Co. CA’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $14,699,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 90,390.6% during the fourth quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,697,556 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,836,353,000 after purchasing an additional 13,682,419 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $1,276,498,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 108.9% during the third quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,128,575 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $840,702,000 after acquiring an additional 2,151,893 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 62.8% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,496,708 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,119,295,000 after buying an additional 2,119,382 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 638.3% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,014,327 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $550,334,000 after acquiring an additional 1,741,490 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.6 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $244.63 on Thursday. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $190.37 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $247.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is $230.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $149.17 billion, a PE ratio of 23.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 46.87% and a net margin of 26.45%. The company had revenue of $6.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.67 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .3% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.13%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.71%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on UNP shares. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Union Pacific from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $280.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Raymond James boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $240.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $282.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $239.00 to $237.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $260.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $249.67.

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.