Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Increases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,461,152 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 55,039 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 0.57% of Union Pacific worth $789,282,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company's stock, 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 document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This 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 corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Down 2.8 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock traded down $6.09 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $213.69. The stock had a trading volume of 3,030,378 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,559,604. The firm has a market cap of $128.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $233.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $235.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.79 by ($0.09). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.51%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Guggenheim boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 14th. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Redburn Atlantic raised Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $257.50.

Union Pacific Company 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.