Argent Advisors Inc. Has $827,000 Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Argent Advisors Inc. reduced its Union Pacific stake by 55.1% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 3,577 shares valued at about $827,000.
• Union Pacific reported solid quarterly results, with EPS of $2.93 beating estimates and revenue of $6.22 billion topping expectations, while revenue rose 3.2% year over year.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share and has a consensus analyst rating of Moderate Buy with an average price target of $280.47.

Argent Advisors Inc. cut its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 55.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,577 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 4,393 shares during the quarter. Argent Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $827,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNP. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 59,329,262 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $13,724,045,000 after buying an additional 659,378 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,360,668 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,552,550,000 after purchasing an additional 296,814 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 193.3% in the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,481,043 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,477,404,000 after purchasing an additional 6,908,016 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 72.7% in the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 9,177,002 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,169,168,000 after purchasing an additional 3,861,636 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 95.0% in the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 8,713,196 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,059,538,000 after purchasing an additional 4,244,226 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total transaction of $789,504.36. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 43,012 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,353,447.52. The trade was a 6.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.76, for a total transaction of $7,442,691.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 61,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,605,079.52. The trade was a 30.95% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 34,377 shares of company stock valued at $9,251,221 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.22% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.5%

Union Pacific stock opened at $263.54 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $156.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.73. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $210.84 and a fifty-two week high of $279.70. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $258.71 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $246.85.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.86 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $6.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.12 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.20% and a return on equity of 39.58%. The business's revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.70 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 29th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is currently 45.47%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Evercore reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $277.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 24th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a "market perform" rating and issued a $285.00 price objective (up from $278.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $289.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Raymond James Financial set a $310.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $280.47.

Union Pacific Profile

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.

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