Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Lord Abbett & CO. LLC

Lord Abbett & CO. LLC reduced its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 47.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 182,632 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 167,390 shares during the period. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $41,647,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Howard Capital Management Group LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 16.4% in the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $705,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 43,071 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $10,616,000 after buying an additional 276 shares during the last quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 103.1% during the third quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $8,770,000 after buying an additional 18,060 shares during the period. Arvest Bank Trust Division bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the third quarter valued at approximately $16,680,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 124.1% in the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 52,963 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $13,054,000 after acquiring an additional 29,330 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock traded down $2.21 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $213.45. 923,460 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,571,614. The firm has a market cap of $127.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.26, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $229.73 and a two-hundred day moving average of $235.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07.

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

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.51%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have commented on UNP. Guggenheim upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 25th. TD Cowen lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and lowered their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.86.

About Union Pacific

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.