Eley Financial Management Inc Purchases 377 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Eley Financial Management Inc lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 19,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 377 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific makes up about 1.7% of Eley Financial Management Inc’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Eley Financial Management Inc’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,389,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,282,305,000 after acquiring an additional 1,616,895 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,752,804,000 after purchasing an additional 363,937 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 4.6% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,439,861 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,468,546,000 after buying an additional 285,401 shares during the period. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,305,684 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,437,948,000 after buying an additional 20,099 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began 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. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $260.32.

Union Pacific Stock Down 2.0 %

Shares of UNP opened at $219.16 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $237.98 and its 200 day simple moving average is $237.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $131.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 period in the prior year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.45%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

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

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.