Sapient Capital LLC Makes New Investment in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Sapient Capital LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 186,647 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $45,844,000. Union Pacific accounts for about 1.2% of Sapient Capital LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Silver Oak Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $219,000. Personal CFO Solutions LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 39.3% in the third quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC now owns 1,407 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $287,000 after purchasing an additional 397 shares during the period. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $238,000. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 46.9% during the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 87,905 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $21,596,000 after purchasing an additional 28,052 shares during the period. Finally, Procyon Advisors LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 48.3% in the 4th quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 18,512 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,547,000 after buying an additional 6,031 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1 %

NYSE UNP traded up $2.67 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $240.36. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,174,714 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,177,795. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $190.71 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $242.95 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $235.98.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.67 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price objective for the company. Benchmark upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $266.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $248.00 to $267.00 in a research note on Friday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.61.

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.