HUB Investment Partners LLC Acquires 2,144 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

HUB Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 49.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,464 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 2,144 shares during the period. HUB Investment Partners LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,474,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Whittier Trust Co. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 3.9% during the fourth quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 33,076 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $7,543,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251 shares during the last quarter. Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 8.1% in the 4th quarter. Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. now owns 134,019 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $30,562,000 after buying an additional 9,989 shares during the last quarter. Blueshift Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 39.0% in the 4th quarter. Blueshift Asset Management LLC now owns 1,662 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $379,000 after buying an additional 466 shares during the last quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $220,000. Finally, Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 21,443 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $4,890,000 after buying an additional 525 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and cut their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP traded up $0.70 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $235.90. 1,849,031 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,306,823. The company has a market cap of $142.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The firm's fifty day moving average is $242.85 and its 200 day moving average is $239.83. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 last year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 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.