Mizuho Securities USA LLC Buys 17,956 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Mizuho Securities USA LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 45.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 57,459 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 17,956 shares during the quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $13,103,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and reduced their target price for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $263.00.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction 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 sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business's 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock traded up $2.25 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $238.04. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,709,846 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,301,154. The company has a market capitalization of $143.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.46, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $242.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $239.73. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07. 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 (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter 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 year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's 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.