Buckingham Capital Management Inc. Decreases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Buckingham Capital Management Inc. cut its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 20.4% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 5,875 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,508 shares during the quarter. Buckingham Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,340,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Venturi Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the 4th quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,050 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,380,000 after buying an additional 589 shares in the last quarter. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $3,954,000. D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 149,598 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $34,115,000 after purchasing an additional 2,048 shares during the period. Citizens & Northern Corp increased its position in Union Pacific by 12.9% during the fourth quarter. Citizens & Northern Corp now owns 5,694 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,298,000 after purchasing an additional 650 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blue Chip Partners LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Blue Chip Partners LLC now owns 82,432 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,798,000 after purchasing an additional 691 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed 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 on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $249.27 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $236.34 and a 200-day simple moving average of $240.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $151.12 billion, a PE ratio of 22.48, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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 prior year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

Union Pacific Company 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.