HighTower Advisors LLC Purchases 92,459 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• HighTower Advisors boosted its Union Pacific stake by 17.5% in the fourth quarter, adding 92,459 shares to bring its total to 620,285 shares valued at about $143.5 million.
• Union Pacific reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $2.93 versus the $2.86 consensus and revenue of $6.22 billion, up 3.2% from a year earlier.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share to be paid June 30, while analysts currently rate the stock a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $280.47.

HighTower Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 17.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 620,285 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 92,459 shares during the quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC owned about 0.10% of Union Pacific worth $143,484,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 100,491 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $23,245,000 after buying an additional 2,295 shares in the last quarter. Gambit Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $238,000. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 10,479 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,424,000 after purchasing an additional 458 shares during the period. Blume Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Union Pacific by 202.5% in the 4th quarter. Blume Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,537 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,049,000 after purchasing an additional 3,037 shares during the period. Finally, Sequent Planning LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 32.4% in the 4th quarter. Sequent Planning LLC now owns 1,161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $269,000 after purchasing an additional 284 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Benchmark lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Union Pacific from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $277.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $267.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $311.00 price target on Union Pacific and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $280.47.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of UNP stock opened at $271.30 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $210.84 and a 1 year high of $276.40. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $252.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $243.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The company has a market cap of $161.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.35, a PEG ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.99.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 2.0%. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 45.47%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the transaction, 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 1,999 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.93, for a total value of $469,625.07. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 31,386 shares of company stock valued at $8,461,716 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Company 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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