SouthState Corp Buys 611 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

SouthState Corp raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 45,900 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 611 shares during the quarter. SouthState Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $11,274,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 666.0% in the 4th quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. now owns 50,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $12,347,000 after purchasing an additional 43,705 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 6.3% in the 4th quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 72,677 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $17,851,000 after acquiring an additional 4,322 shares in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 2.2% in the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 760,612 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $186,821,000 after purchasing an additional 16,406 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 230,300 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $56,566,000 after buying an additional 7,806 shares during the period. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 75,272 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $18,488,000 after purchasing an additional 791 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock traded up $2.73 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $237.69. 1,947,827 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,306,703. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $243.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $235.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $145.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $190.71 and a one 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 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. Equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Susquehanna upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. StockNews.com upgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $252.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.78.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

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 value of $937,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.