Empirical Finance LLC Sells 303 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Empirical Finance LLC decreased its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.4% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 21,105 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 303 shares during the quarter. Empirical Finance LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,813,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Red Mountain Financial LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC now owns 2,276 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $561,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Maj Invest Holding A S boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Maj Invest Holding A S now owns 676,098 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $166,645,000 after purchasing an additional 2,202 shares in the last quarter. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt grew its stake in Union Pacific by 346.5% during the third quarter. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt now owns 5,483 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,351,000 after purchasing an additional 4,255 shares during the period. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.9% in the third quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC now owns 1,982 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $471,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Valeo Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.3% in the third quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 15,832 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,902,000 after buying an additional 361 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup upped their price target on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $242.12 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The firm has a market cap of $146.79 billion, a PE ratio of 21.83, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $235.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.17.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 period in the previous year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Union Pacific Company 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.