Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Short Interest Update

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 6,250,000 shares, an increase of 22.3% from the January 15th total of 5,110,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,740,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.3 days. Approximately 1.0% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently issued reports on UNP. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Guggenheim raised their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Susquehanna reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock opened at $249.27 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $236.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $240.45. The stock has a market cap of $151.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.48, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 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 period in the prior year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction 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. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated 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 $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % 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.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

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.