LPL Financial LLC Grows Stock Position in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

LPL Financial LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 3.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,371,839 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 49,864 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC owned approximately 0.23% of Union Pacific worth $317,334,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Stephens Consulting LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 48.4% in the fourth quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 135 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the period. Macroview Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.4% in the fourth quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 1,349 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $312,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% in the third quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,186 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $753,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,988 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,154,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Keebeck Wealth Management grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.7% in the third quarter. Keebeck Wealth Management now owns 2,691 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $636,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, CFO Jennifer L. Hamann sold 2,000 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.70, for a total transaction of $549,400.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 114,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $31,492,157.40. The trade was a 1.71% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $271.76, for a total value of $7,442,691.12. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 61,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,605,079.52. The trade was a 30.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 34,377 shares of company stock valued at $9,251,221. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up from $278.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $289.00 target price (up from $273.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. TD Cowen raised their target price on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $282.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $307.00 target price (up from $285.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $282.21.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $268.84 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $259.92 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $247.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.92. The stock has a market cap of $159.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.14, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.97. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $210.84 and a fifty-two week high of $279.70.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $6.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.12 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 39.58% and a net margin of 29.20%.The business’s revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.70 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 29th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 45.47%.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.