Main Street Financial Solutions LLC Lowers Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Main Street Financial Solutions LLC reduced its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 40.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,866 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 1,254 shares during the period. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $425,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after purchasing an additional 1,616,895 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 5.0% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,752,804,000 after acquiring an additional 363,937 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 4.6% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,439,861 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,468,546,000 after acquiring an additional 285,401 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,437,948,000 after acquiring an additional 20,099 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific 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 completion of the sale, 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the transaction, 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNP. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. Susquehanna reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 14th. Finally, Raymond James lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a "strong-buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.50.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP traded up $2.51 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $219.41. 1,226,292 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,545,267. 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 company has a market capitalization of $131.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.78, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The business's 50 day moving average price is $233.69 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $236.10.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 period in the previous year, the business posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.44%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is currently 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.