Fayez Sarofim & Co Trims Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Fayez Sarofim & Co reduced its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 2.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,875,490 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 81,117 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific makes up approximately 1.6% of Fayez Sarofim & Co's investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Fayez Sarofim & Co owned approximately 0.47% of Union Pacific worth $658,127,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% during the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently commented on UNP shares. Citigroup raised shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. Barclays dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $255.82.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded down $2.10 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $213.35. The company had a trading volume of 3,454,850 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,569,789. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $232.43 and its 200-day simple moving average is $235.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market cap of $127.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.79 by ($0.09). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.11 billion. On average, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.51%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

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.