Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Groupama Asset Managment

Groupama Asset Managment reduced its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 22.9% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 32,011 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 9,529 shares during the period. Groupama Asset Managment’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $7,292,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $237.11 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $243.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $239.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $142.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.38, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (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 period in the prior year, the firm posted $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 fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on UNP shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.76.

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.