American Century Companies Inc. Sells 28,666 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

American Century Companies Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 2.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,184,354 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 28,666 shares during the quarter. American Century Companies Inc. owned 0.20% of Union Pacific worth $270,080,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $1,035,905,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 74.7% during the 4th quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $489,600,000 after purchasing an additional 918,248 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 33,228.4% in the 4th quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 504,258 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $114,991,000 after buying an additional 502,745 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 35.8% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,226,100 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $279,600,000 after buying an additional 323,525 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

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Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP traded up $2.25 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $238.04. The stock had a trading volume of 1,709,846 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,301,154. The company has a market cap of $143.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.46, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The business's fifty day moving average is $242.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 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 quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.25%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of several recent research reports. Guggenheim boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating 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 issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business's 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, 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. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.