Union Pacific’s chief legal officer sells $1.64 million in stock

OMAHA—Craig V. Richardson, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Union Pacific Corp (NYSE:UNP), has sold shares worth approximately $1.64 million, according to a recent regulatory filing. The transactions, executed on January 27, 2025, involved the sale of 6,495 shares of common stock at a price of $252.00 per share. The sale comes as the $152.3 billion railroad operator trades near its 52-week high, with InvestingPro analysis indicating the stock is currently in overbought territory.

Prior to the sales, Richardson exercised stock options to acquire 6,495 shares at prices ranging from $161.57 to $186.11 per share. Following these transactions, Richardson holds 26,319.3446 shares directly. The sales were made under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established on August 28, 2024. According to InvestingPro, which offers comprehensive insider trading analysis among its 12+ key insights, Union Pacific currently trades above its Fair Value estimate.

In other recent news, Union Pacific’s fourth-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $2.91 surpassed consensus estimates, leading to a flurry of revised stock targets. Benchmark analyst Nathan Martin raised the target to $275, attributing the higher earnings to reduced expenses and record levels of workforce productivity. Baird analysts also increased Union Pacific’s stock target to $265, highlighting the company’s effective operating leverage and ability to scale capacity. Citi analyst Ariel Rosa raised the stock target to $260, despite concerns over the company’s exposure to cross-border tariffs and a potentially challenging year-over-year comparison in 2025.

TD Cowen analysts adjusted their outlook on Union Pacific, increasing the price target to $258, maintaining a Buy rating, and expressing optimism about continued operating ratio momentum into 2025. Stifel analysts also raised their target for Union Pacific shares to $270, reiterating a Buy rating and expressing confidence in the company’s performance and future prospects. These recent developments reflect Union Pacific’s impressive gross profit margin of 55.41% and strong dividend history.

Analysts from firms such as TD Cowen, Stifel, Jefferies, and BMO Capital expect Union Pacific to continue benefiting from productivity improvements and modest pricing gains. However, some analysts, like those from Citi and Jefferies, express caution due to Union Pacific’s exposure to cross-border tariffs and an elevated valuation compared to its industry peers.

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