Lee Danner & Bass Inc. Makes New Investment in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Lee Danner & Bass Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 1,002 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $246,000.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Union Pacific by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,261,449 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,478,649,000 after buying an additional 19,145 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,803,796 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,385,457,000 after purchasing an additional 285,988 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 62.8% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,496,708 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,119,295,000 after purchasing an additional 2,119,382 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 18.8% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 5,003,423 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,018,847,000 after purchasing an additional 792,896 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 108.9% during the 3rd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,128,575 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $840,702,000 after purchasing an additional 2,151,893 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Monday, April 8th. They set a “hold” rating and a $250.00 target price on the stock. TD Cowen boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $228.00 to $251.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 11th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Union Pacific from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $280.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $255.00.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.0 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $234.48 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $245.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $234.40. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $190.37 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $143.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 46.87% and a net margin of 26.45%. The company had revenue of $6.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.67 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.01 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.71%.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

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.