Focus Financial Network Inc. Lowers Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Focus Financial Network Inc. reduced its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,739 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 145 shares during the quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,081,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 1,306.3% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $111,000 after purchasing an additional 418 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 258,290 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $62,439,000 after buying an additional 16,272 shares during the last quarter. Lynch & Associates IN raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 10.9% in the 3rd quarter. Lynch & Associates IN now owns 7,901 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,947,000 after buying an additional 779 shares during the period. QV Investors Inc. boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the third quarter. QV Investors Inc. now owns 52,051 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $12,830,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acorn Creek Capital LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 20.1% during the third quarter. Acorn Creek Capital LLC now owns 1,263 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $311,000 after acquiring an additional 211 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. 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 note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $248.49 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $150.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.41, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $235.43 and a two-hundred day moving average of $240.31. 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 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 period last year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 completion of the transaction, the president now directly 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the 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 in the company, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.