Fisher Funds Management LTD Sells 75,979 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• Fisher Funds Management LTD sharply reduced its Union Pacific stake by 66% in the first quarter, selling 75,979 shares and ending with 39,150 shares valued at about $9.5 million.
• Union Pacific’s latest quarterly results beat expectations, posting EPS of $2.93 on revenue of $6.22 billion, both ahead of consensus estimates. Revenue also rose 3.2% year over year.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on the stock, with several raising price targets and the consensus rating sitting at Moderate Buy with an average target of $282.21. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share, or $5.52 annualized.

Fisher Funds Management LTD cut its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 66.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 39,150 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 75,979 shares during the period. Fisher Funds Management LTD's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $9,501,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group raised its position in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 6,637 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,535,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Rosenblum Silverman Sutton S F Inc. CA boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.7% in the 4th quarter. Rosenblum Silverman Sutton S F Inc. CA now owns 1,221 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $282,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 48.4% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 135 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 1,349 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $312,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Claro Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Claro Advisors Inc. now owns 1,220 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $282,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $300.00 price objective (up from $260.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 24th. Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $277.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Benchmark increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Barclays reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $315.00 price target (up from $285.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $256.00 to $282.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $282.21.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $257.46 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.92. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $210.84 and a 52-week high of $279.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $152.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.21, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.97. The company's 50 day moving average price is $263.79 and its 200-day moving average price is $249.93.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.20% and a return on equity of 39.58%. The company had revenue of $6.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.70 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.55 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 29th will be issued a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 45.47%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, CFO Jennifer L. Hamann sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.70, for a total value of $549,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 114,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $31,492,157.40. The trade was a 1.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $271.76, for a total transaction of $7,442,691.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 61,102 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,605,079.52. This trade represents a 30.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 32,378 shares of company stock worth $8,781,595. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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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