Todd Asset Management LLC Decreases Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Todd Asset Management LLC reduced its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 10.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 69,385 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 8,255 shares during the period. Todd Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $17,042,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 108.9% during the 3rd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,128,575 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $840,702,000 after acquiring an additional 2,151,893 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 62.8% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,496,708 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,119,295,000 after purchasing an additional 2,119,382 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its position in Union Pacific by 65.5% in the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 2,348,496 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $478,224,000 after buying an additional 929,495 shares in the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 331.7% in the fourth quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 1,143,298 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $280,817,000 after buying an additional 878,490 shares during the period. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 20,736.8% during the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 803,677 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $197,399,000 after buying an additional 799,820 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $248.00 to $267.00 in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 11th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $282.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.61.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1 %

NYSE:UNP traded up $2.67 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $240.36. The stock had a trading volume of 2,174,714 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,177,795. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $242.95 and a 200 day moving average of $235.98. The company has a market capitalization of $146.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.94, a PEG ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $190.71 and a one year high of $258.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.67 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

Union Pacific 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.