Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp Invests $296,000 in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor purchased 1,298 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $296,000.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 111.5% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $40,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen upped their target price 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. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird lifted 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. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. One 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 issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $235.90 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $142.55 billion, a PE ratio of 21.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $242.98 and a 200 day moving average of $239.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

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, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.27%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

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.