Transform Wealth LLC Boosts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Transform Wealth LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 494.3% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 5,444 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,528 shares during the quarter. Transform Wealth LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,241,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Traveka Wealth LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 3.4% in the third quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC now owns 1,357 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $335,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC now owns 2,276 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $561,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% in the 4th quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. True Link Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. True Link Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,016 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $990,000 after buying an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 1,786 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $407,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $236.73 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $143.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.74, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $233.67 and its 200 day moving average price is $239.10. 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, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.51 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 49.22%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price 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. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Evercore ISI cut Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.35.

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.