Brighton Jones LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 10,360 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 325 shares during the period. Brighton Jones LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,545,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Mission Wealth Management LP increased its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 7,838 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,925,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Auxano Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $771,000. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 130.0% in the fourth quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. now owns 129,566 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,824,000 after buying an additional 73,225 shares during the last quarter. Field & Main Bank boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 6,872 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,688,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the period. Finally, Ledyard National Bank increased its position in Union Pacific by 24.8% during the fourth quarter. Ledyard National Bank now owns 6,536 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,605,000 after acquiring an additional 1,300 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $252.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Susquehanna upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, April 8th. They set a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.78.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.6 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $237.13 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $144.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.63, a PEG ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $190.71 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $243.95 and its 200-day moving average price is $235.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.67 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.17 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared 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. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

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.