Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Buys 5,349 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 6.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 82,873 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,349 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $18,898,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Roble Belko & Company Inc lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% during the 4th quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Pflug Koory LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,954,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $321,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $381,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA increased its stake in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 1,786 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $407,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents 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 Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $247.97 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $241.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $240.98. The stock has a market cap of $149.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.36, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share 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 quarter last year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders 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 yield of 2.16%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on UNP shares. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Guggenheim raised 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. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target 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.