1,318 Shares in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Bought by Sage Investment Counsel LLC

Sage Investment Counsel LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 1,318 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $301,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp raised its stake in Union Pacific by 0.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after buying an additional 217,780 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% during 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 last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 2.3% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,285,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,549,271,000 after buying an additional 143,896 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,020,107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,237,356,000 after buying an additional 31,899 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.8 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $246.94 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $149.22 billion, a PE ratio of 22.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $239.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $240.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released 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 earned $2.71 EPS. Research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors 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 (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Benchmark lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’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 in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is 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.