Sage Investment Advisers LLC Buys Shares of 4,310 Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Sage Investment Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund bought 4,310 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $997,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of UNP. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Tucker Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. High Point Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Saranac Partners Ltd bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $262.83 on Monday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $210.84 and a 52-week high of $279.70. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $256.57 and a 200 day moving average of $245.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $156.04 billion, a PE ratio of 21.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.92.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.20% and a return on equity of 39.58%. The company had revenue of $6.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.70 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 12.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, May 29th will be given a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 29th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 45.47%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $274.00 target price (up from $253.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Union Pacific from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and set a $315.00 price target (up from $285.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating and set a $307.00 price target (up from $285.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $280.47.

Key Union Pacific News

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The STB did accept Union Pacific’s revised merger application, which keeps the transaction alive and moves it one step forward in the regulatory process. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Brookfield Infrastructure may benefit from divestitures if the merger eventually proceeds, since regulators are expected to require sales of regional lines, yards, or equipment. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern said they will work with regulators and continue pushing the case for creating the first transcontinental railroad. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The STB’s pause signals more regulatory friction, extending the approval timeline and increasing uncertainty around whether the merger will close on the company’s preferred schedule. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: CN publicly backed the regulator’s decision to freeze the review, arguing Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern still haven’t met the higher standard needed to justify the deal. Article Title

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 1,999 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.93, for a total value of $469,625.07. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 61,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,605,079.52. This represents a 30.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 31,386 shares of company stock worth $8,461,716. Corporate 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.