Mirabella Financial Services LLP Purchases New Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Mirabella Financial Services LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 7,560 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $1,724,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after buying an additional 1,616,895 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,370,559,000 after acquiring an additional 1,298,178 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,752,804,000 after acquiring an additional 363,937 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,439,861 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,468,546,000 after acquiring an additional 285,401 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $220.26 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $132.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.86, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $235.02 and a 200-day moving average price of $236.39.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.43%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Benchmark boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.50.

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.