Cullen Investment Group LTD. Cuts Stake in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Cullen Investment Group LTD reduced its stake in Union Pacific by 29.6% in Q4, selling 15,718 shares to hold 37,453 shares worth $8.56 million, about 1.1% of the fund's portfolio (its 22nd largest holding).
• Analysts maintain a Moderate Buy consensus on UNP with an average price target of $264.86 (1 Strong Buy, 15 Buy, 8 Hold); notable recent moves include Evercore upgrading to "outperform" and TD Cowen trimming its target to $255.
• Union Pacific missed Q4 EPS estimates ($2.86 vs. $2.92) with slightly lower revenue, and announced a quarterly dividend of $1.38 (annualized $5.52, ~2.3% yield).

Cullen Investment Group LTD. reduced its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 29.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 37,453 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 15,718 shares during the period. Union Pacific comprises approximately 1.1% of Cullen Investment Group LTD.'s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Cullen Investment Group LTD.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $8,556,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Caitlin John LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Saranac Partners Ltd bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the second quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Sagard Holdings Management Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the second quarter worth $33,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $255.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Susquehanna reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Union Pacific from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Evercore raised Union Pacific from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $262.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 19th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated a "market perform" rating and issued a $295.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $264.86.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.9%

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $241.77 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $268.14. The company has a market cap of $143.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.20, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.95. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $247.99 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $234.74.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.92 by ($0.06). Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.12% and a return on equity of 40.89%. The company had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.15 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.91 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is 46.12%.

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.

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