Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Short Interest Up 22.3% in January

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 6,250,000 shares, a growth of 22.3% from the January 15th total of 5,110,000 shares. Approximately 1.0% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,740,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.3 days.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in UNP. State Street Corp lifted its position in Union Pacific by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after buying an additional 217,780 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,282,305,000 after purchasing an additional 1,616,895 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 14.3% during the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,370,559,000 after purchasing an additional 1,298,178 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,927,377,000. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,752,804,000 after purchasing an additional 363,937 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.7 %

UNP opened at $249.27 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $151.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.48, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $236.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $240.44. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 12.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on UNP. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Susquehanna lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Barclays upped their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

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.