Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Has $14.50 Million Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 59,034 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 3,143 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $14,500,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $737,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Sunburst Financial Group LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Sunburst Financial Group LLC now owns 2,393 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $588,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Sunflower Bank N.A. lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Sunflower Bank N.A. now owns 5,573 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,369,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the period. West Paces Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. West Paces Advisors Inc. now owns 1,886 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $463,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.9% during the third quarter. Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions LLC now owns 2,416 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $492,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Susquehanna raised their target price on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, March 28th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $253.48.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $229.78 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.81. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $246.02 and a 200 day moving average price of $233.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $140.19 billion, a PE ratio of 21.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $190.37 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 46.87% and a net margin of 26.45%. The company had revenue of $6.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.67 EPS. The business’s revenue was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 49.71%.

Union Pacific 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.