Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Purchased by MetLife Investment Management LLC

MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 173,417 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 1,682 shares during the quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $39,546,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL grew 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 valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of several research analyst reports. UBS Group lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Redburn Atlantic raised Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and reduced their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $257.50.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP traded up $2.71 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $219.61. The stock had a trading volume of 3,879,474 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,557,229. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $233.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $236.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $131.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced 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. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Activity

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 sale, 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, 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. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

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.