Empirical Asset Management LLC Purchases 1,149 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Empirical Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 6.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 19,867 shares of the railroad operator's stock after purchasing an additional 1,149 shares during the period. Empirical Asset Management LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,530,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the second quarter worth $28,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Fairscale Capital LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 265.7% during the 3rd quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of UNP traded down $0.90 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $233.99. The company's stock had a trading volume of 3,643,704 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,493,791. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The stock has a market cap of $141.86 billion, a PE ratio of 21.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.06. The company's fifty day moving average price is $233.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $238.79. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The business had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.51 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 49.22%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently commented on UNP shares. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an "outperform" rating to an "inline" rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Benchmark restated a "buy" rating and set a $266.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $259.35.

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.