Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. Has $41.61 Million Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. cut its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.6% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 182,486 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 6,728 shares during the quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $41,614,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. World Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 103.1% in the third 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 period. abrdn plc boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $94,588,000 after acquiring an additional 35,414 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $44,348,000 after buying an additional 4,939 shares during the period. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd lifted its holdings 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 valued at $63,185,000 after buying an additional 53,946 shares during the period. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic boosted its position in Union Pacific by 61.5% during the fourth quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 10,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,394,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $236.07 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month 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 company has a market cap of $142.65 billion, a PE ratio of 21.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $243.15 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.69.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 2.27%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.76.

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.