Sawgrass Asset Management LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Sawgrass Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 50,978 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,865 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for approximately 1.4% of Sawgrass Asset Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Sawgrass Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $12,521,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. BluePath Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Stuart Chaussee & Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $36,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, AJOVista LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $100,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the completion of 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 SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock traded up $3.52 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $245.90. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,731,185 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,287,521. The stock has a market cap of $150.03 billion, a PE ratio of 23.46, a P/E/G ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06. The company’s 50 day moving average is $242.47 and its two-hundred day moving average is $236.79. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $190.71 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 44.34% and a net margin of 26.52%. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.11%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 49.62%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $248.00 to $267.00 in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Union Pacific from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $280.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, January 22nd. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 9th. Finally, Susquehanna upped their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target 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.