Swiss National Bank Reduces Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Swiss National Bank cut its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,721,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 90,000 shares during the quarter. Swiss National Bank owned about 0.28% of Union Pacific worth $392,457,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. World Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 103.1% in the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,770,000 after purchasing an additional 18,060 shares during the last quarter. abrdn plc raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 4th quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $94,588,000 after buying an additional 35,414 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $44,348,000 after acquiring an additional 4,939 shares during the last quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd grew its position in Union Pacific by 24.2% in the fourth quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $63,185,000 after acquiring an additional 53,946 shares during the period. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic increased its stake in Union Pacific by 61.5% during the fourth quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 10,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,394,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $237.61 on Thursday. 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 company has a fifty day simple moving average of $241.82 and a 200-day simple moving average of $240.89. The stock has a market cap of $143.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.43, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) 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 last year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. Barclays increased their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

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.