Insider Selling: Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) President Sells $1,875,000.00 in Stock

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $249.75 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The stock has a market cap of $151.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.93, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $235.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $240.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.22%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. Guggenheim boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price objective (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.30.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Traveka Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.4% in the third quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC now owns 1,357 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $335,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC now owns 2,276 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $561,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% in the fourth quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Pflug Koory LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,954,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Baron Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $321,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.