Kovack Advisors Inc. Cuts Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Kovack Advisors Inc. lowered its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 9.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,476 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 153 shares during the quarter. Kovack Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $363,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Argonautica Private Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in Union Pacific by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Argonautica Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 8,499 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,087,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 8.5% during the 4th quarter. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC now owns 22,157 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $5,442,000 after buying an additional 1,729 shares in the last quarter. Overbrook Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $213,000. Silver Oak Advisory Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $219,000. Finally, Motley Fool Asset Management LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 5.4% in the fourth quarter. Motley Fool Asset Management LLC now owns 18,060 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $4,436,000 after acquiring an additional 918 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $240.98 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $147.03 billion, a PE ratio of 22.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 1.07. The business’s 50-day moving average is $244.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $235.56. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $190.71 and a 1 year high of $258.66. 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 (NYSE:UNP) last posted 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. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors 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 2.16%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

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 stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently issued reports on UNP. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $231.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, April 12th. Finally, Susquehanna increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.78.

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.