Atlanta Consulting Group Advisors LLC Sells 920 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Atlanta Consulting Group Advisors LLC reduced its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 13.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,947 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 920 shares during the period. Atlanta Consulting Group Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,356,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of UNP. Howard Capital Management Group LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 16.4% in the 3rd quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $705,000 after purchasing an additional 403 shares during the period. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $235,000. Accredited Investors Inc. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $208,000. Schear Investment Advisers LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. Schear Investment Advisers LLC now owns 7,372 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,817,000 after purchasing an additional 587 shares during the period. Finally, GoalVest Advisory LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $55,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.00.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.5 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $237.71 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $143.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.43, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $242.05 and its 200-day moving average price is $240.62.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company 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.