Matrix Trust Co Has $1.71 Million Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Matrix Trust Co lowered its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.3% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 6,951 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 93 shares during the period. Matrix Trust Co’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,707,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of UNP. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $737,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,394 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $342,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Sunburst Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 1.8% in 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 in the last quarter. Sunflower Bank N.A. lifted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Finally, West Paces Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. West Paces Advisors Inc. now owns 1,886 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $463,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock traded down $0.76 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $242.79. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,255,458 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,120,671. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $190.45 and a 12-month high of $258.66. The company has a market capitalization of $148.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.17, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.93. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $244.27 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $234.95.

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, 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.67 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.14%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 49.62%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were 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 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 this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently weighed in on UNP. TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $252.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $282.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $280.00 price objective (up previously from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus 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.