Stifel Financial Corp Raises Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Stifel Financial Corp lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 1.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,328,689 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 36,342 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp owned 0.38% of Union Pacific worth $531,043,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its position 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 acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently commented on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Barclays lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Raymond James reiterated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $255.82.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock traded down $2.10 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $213.35. 3,251,926 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,022,230. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $232.43 and a 200 day moving average price of $235.84. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07. 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 capitalization of $127.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.24, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.79 by ($0.09). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11 billion. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS 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 issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.51%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. 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.