Quilter Plc Sells 2,748 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Quilter Plc lowered its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 167,392 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 2,748 shares during the quarter. Quilter Plc’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $38,172,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,545 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $580,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the period. Wingate Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $271,000. Stiles Financial Services Inc raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 29.6% in the 4th quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc now owns 2,915 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $664,000 after acquiring an additional 666 shares during the period. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $171,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus lifted 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. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Benchmark boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The stock was 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 $16,240,000. This trade 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.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.6 %

UNP opened at $242.12 on Monday. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $235.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $240.17. The firm has a market cap of $146.79 billion, a PE ratio of 21.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 2.21%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

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.