Dodge & Cox Sells 4,013 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Dodge & Cox decreased its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 278,219 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 4,013 shares during the quarter. Dodge & Cox’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $63,445,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $40,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $222.18 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $133.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $237.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $237.08.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 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 company earned $2.71 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday. Finally, Raymond James cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.43.

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.