Proficio Capital Partners LLC Boosts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 46.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,211 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 698 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $504,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Assetmark Inc. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 16.3% in the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 35,897 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $8,186,000 after buying an additional 5,035 shares in the last quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 17.3% during the 4th quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 1,060 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $241,000 after acquiring an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $314,000. Jag Capital Management LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Jag Capital Management LLC now owns 13,570 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,095,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alley Investment Management Company LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC now owns 78,195 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $17,832,000 after purchasing an additional 1,544 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction 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 firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the topic of several recent research reports. Citigroup increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $235.20 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $142.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.21, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $242.85 and a 200 day moving average of $239.83. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 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) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share 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 quarter last year, the business posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.28%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

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.