MetLife Investment Management LLC Increases Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.0% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 173,417 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 1,682 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $39,546,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% in the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UNP. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $259.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Susquehanna decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Guggenheim upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $257.50.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 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 sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, 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. 0.19% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.7 %

UNP stock opened at $220.26 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The stock 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. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $235.02 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $236.42. 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 released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS 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 company earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

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

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.