Graham Capital Management L.P. Reduces Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Graham Capital Management L.P. trimmed its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 30.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,175 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 2,292 shares during the quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,180,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNP. Czech National Bank raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.9% during the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 131,449 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $29,976,000 after acquiring an additional 7,349 shares in the last quarter. Aprio Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 12.9% during the 4th quarter. Aprio Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,087 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $248,000 after buying an additional 124 shares during the period. Fiduciary Alliance LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 147.5% in the fourth quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC now owns 3,987 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $909,000 after buying an additional 2,376 shares during the last quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 17.2% during the fourth quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA now owns 14,209 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,240,000 after buying an additional 2,082 shares during the period. Finally, Cooper Financial Group increased its position in Union Pacific by 16.9% during the fourth quarter. Cooper Financial Group now owns 2,583 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $589,000 after acquiring an additional 374 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently commented on UNP. Stephens dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. Guggenheim boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $257.50.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock traded up $0.50 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $231.35. 2,006,785 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,637,616. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $224.29 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $233.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $138.22 billion, a PE ratio of 20.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.73 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.11 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The firm's quarterly revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.69 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific's payout ratio is currently 48.29%.

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.