Proficio Capital Partners LLC Acquires 698 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 46.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,211 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing 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 quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. World Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.1% during the third quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,770,000 after purchasing an additional 18,060 shares during the period. abrdn plc raised its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 4th quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $94,588,000 after buying an additional 35,414 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $44,348,000 after buying an additional 4,939 shares during the period. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 24.2% in the fourth quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $63,185,000 after acquiring an additional 53,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic grew its stake in Union Pacific by 61.5% in the fourth quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 10,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,394,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.6 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $235.20 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The company has a market capitalization of $142.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.21, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $242.85 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.83. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

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 given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.28%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Insider Activity

In related 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 transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Benchmark increased their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

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.