Scotia Capital Inc. Cuts Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Scotia Capital Inc. cut its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 24.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 37,830 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 12,353 shares during the period. Scotia Capital Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,627,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Phoenix Financial Ltd. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 77.6% during the 4th quarter. Phoenix Financial Ltd. now owns 32,553 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $7,423,000 after acquiring an additional 14,219 shares in the last quarter. F M Investments LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 30.0% in the 4th quarter. F M Investments LLC now owns 24,868 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $5,671,000 after purchasing an additional 5,746 shares during the period. CenterBook Partners LP purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $262,000. Texas Yale Capital Corp. raised its position in Union Pacific by 8.5% in the fourth quarter. Texas Yale Capital Corp. now owns 4,775 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,089,000 after acquiring an additional 375 shares during the period. Finally, Faithward Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 27.1% in the fourth quarter. Faithward Advisors LLC now owns 1,883 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $429,000 after buying an additional 402 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.6 %

NYSE UNP traded down $1.28 on Wednesday, reaching $218.80. The company had a trading volume of 975,877 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,518,375. The company's fifty day moving average is $236.56 and its 200-day moving average is $236.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market capitalization of $131.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.73, a price-to-earnings-growth 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.

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Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (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 prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.45%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm'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 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. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the 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 of the company's stock, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. UBS Group dropped their target price 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. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Finally, Raymond James lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a "strong-buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 11th. 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 issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $257.50.

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.