ClearBridge Investments Ltd Grows Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

ClearBridge Investments Ltd boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 988,458 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 26,489 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific makes up approximately 5.9% of ClearBridge Investments Ltd’s holdings, making the stock its 5th largest holding. ClearBridge Investments Ltd owned about 0.16% of Union Pacific worth $225,408,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 111.5% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective on the stock. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued 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 an average price target of $262.76.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $232.06 on Friday. 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 Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $140.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.93, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $243.11 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.47.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders 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 2.31%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

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.