Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Acquired by Horizon Investments LLC

Horizon Investments LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 8.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 20,380 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,632 shares during the period. Horizon Investments LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,647,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,146,451,000 after purchasing an additional 182,620 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd 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 period. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,437,948,000 after buying an additional 20,099 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific 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 sale, 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $238.02 on Tuesday. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The company has a market cap of $143.83 billion, a PE ratio of 21.46, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $242.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $240.52.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) 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 prior year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on UNP. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Guggenheim increased their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective 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. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

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.