Delta Financial Group Inc. Buys Shares of 3,211 Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Delta Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 3,211 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $732,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after acquiring an additional 182,620 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 2.3% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,285,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,549,271,000 after acquiring an additional 143,896 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,020,107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,237,356,000 after purchasing an additional 31,899 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.9 %

UNP opened at $245.43 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $237.68 and a two-hundred day moving average of $240.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.13, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.18%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

Union Pacific 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.