Stephens Inc. AR Has $10.65 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Stephens Inc. AR raised its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 8.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 46,715 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,771 shares during the quarter. Stephens Inc. AR’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $10,653,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 265.7% in the 3rd quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, 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 value of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, 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 transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, 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 position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.6 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $242.12 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $235.14 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.17. The firm has a market cap of $146.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.83, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.21%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 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.