Graypoint LLC Cuts Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Graypoint LLC cut its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 17,841 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 648 shares during the quarter. Graypoint LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,068,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 116.3% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 19,552 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,421,000 after purchasing an additional 10,511 shares during the last quarter. AGF Management Ltd. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 77.2% in the second quarter. AGF Management Ltd. now owns 44,558 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $10,082,000 after acquiring an additional 19,411 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 6.5% in the second quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 1,023,156 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $231,499,000 after buying an additional 62,607 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 6.4% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,186,777 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $268,520,000 after acquiring an additional 71,019 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Qsemble Capital Management LP grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 169.8% during the 2nd quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP now owns 22,009 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,980,000 after acquiring an additional 13,852 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on UNP shares. Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $259.80.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock traded down $6.71 on Friday, hitting $225.11. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,711,327 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,581,317. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $234.80 and a 200-day moving average price of $238.63. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $218.55 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The company has a market capitalization of $136.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.51 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.38%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.22%.

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.