Sawgrass Asset Management LLC Sells 1,865 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Sawgrass Asset Management LLC decreased its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 50,978 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,865 shares during the period. Union Pacific comprises about 1.4% of Sawgrass Asset Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position. Sawgrass Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,521,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 10.4% in the 3rd quarter. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,538 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $313,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth $229,000. WealthShield Partners LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 24.0% during the third quarter. WealthShield Partners LLC now owns 7,123 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,450,000 after buying an additional 1,380 shares during the period. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 18.0% in the third quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 10,056 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,048,000 after buying an additional 1,536 shares during the period. Finally, BluePath Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.5 %

Shares of NYSE UNP traded up $3.52 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $245.90. The stock had a trading volume of 1,731,185 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,287,521. The company has a market cap of $150.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.46, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The business’s 50 day moving average is $242.47 and its 200-day moving average is $236.79. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $190.71 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 44.34% and a net margin of 26.52%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.67 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.11%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on UNP. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $282.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Susquehanna increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. UBS Group upped their price target on Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 11th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their target price on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.61.

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.