Securian Asset Management Inc. Decreases Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Securian Asset Management Inc. decreased its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 32,584 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,109 shares during the period. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $7,430,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Liberty Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Liberty Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,697 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $387,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 2,633 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $600,000 after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 51.0% in the fourth quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 37,336 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $8,514,000 after buying an additional 12,613 shares during the last quarter. PFG Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.2% in the fourth quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 17,491 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,989,000 after buying an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HighTower Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.2% in the fourth quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 609,588 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $139,010,000 after buying an additional 19,039 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. Guggenheim raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price 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. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $237.72 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $241.63 and its 200-day moving average price is $240.91. 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 company has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced 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. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.33%.

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.