Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc. Sells 60 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,118 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 60 shares during the quarter. Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $255,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Drum Hill Capital LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $675,000. Blackston Financial Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 11.3% in the 4th quarter. Blackston Financial Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,449 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $330,000 after purchasing an additional 147 shares in the last quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $64,000. Bradley Foster & Sargent Inc. CT increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 81.1% during the 4th quarter. Bradley Foster & Sargent Inc. CT now owns 328,121 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $74,825,000 after purchasing an additional 146,901 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $958,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $245.43 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $237.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.69. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $148.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.13, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

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 the consensus estimate 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 quarter last year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on UNP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark 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. Barclays raised their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.