Pacer Advisors Inc. Sells 6,534 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Pacer Advisors Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 10.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 56,015 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 6,534 shares during the quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,774,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after buying an additional 182,620 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,285,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,549,271,000 after acquiring an additional 143,896 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,020,107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,237,356,000 after acquiring an additional 31,899 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly 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. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.30.

Union Pacific Trading Down 2.0 %

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $249.45 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $234.45 and a 200 day moving average of $239.81. The stock has a market cap of $151.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.96 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.22%.

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.