Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors

Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors trimmed its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.3% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 1,514 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 51 shares during the period. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors’ holdings in Union Pacific were worth $345,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have commented on UNP. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Insider Activity

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s 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 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.9 %

UNP opened at $249.84 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $218.55 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The stock has a market capitalization of $150.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The business has a 50 day moving average of $241.04 and a 200-day moving average of $240.98.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 period in the previous year, the business earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s dividend 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.