Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC Has $12.55 Million Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC reduced its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 55,019 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 317 shares during the quarter. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,546,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Howard Capital Management Group LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 16.4% in the 3rd quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $705,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 8.2% during the third quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 42,944 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $10,585,000 after purchasing an additional 3,256 shares during the period. Principal Securities Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 14,067 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,467,000 after acquiring an additional 328 shares during the last quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.7% in the third quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,895 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $467,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lowe Brockenbrough & Co. Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 26.0% during the third quarter. Lowe Brockenbrough & Co. Inc. now owns 8,745 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,155,000 after acquiring an additional 1,803 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the subject of several analyst reports. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price objective (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.40.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s 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 sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $246.94 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $239.46 and a 200-day moving average price of $240.96. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $149.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.27, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.71 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.17%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

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.