Mendel Money Management Cuts Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Mendel Money Management trimmed its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 15.0% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 5,847 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,034 shares during the period. Mendel Money Management’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,333,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 111.5% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently commented on UNP shares. Raymond James reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Benchmark increased their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents 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.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.3 %

UNP opened at $235.90 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $242.98 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.73. The firm has a market cap of $142.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.27, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.27%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

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.