Merit Financial Group LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Merit Financial Group LLC reduced its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 46.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,405 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 8,054 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,310,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. BluePath Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Stuart Chaussee & Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Pacific Center for Financial Services raised its stake in Union Pacific by 65.1% during the 3rd quarter. Pacific Center for Financial Services now owns 507 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $103,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have commented on UNP. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $280.00 price objective (up from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $248.00 to $267.00 in a research note on Friday. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $259.61.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $240.36 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The firm has a market cap of $146.65 billion, a PE ratio of 22.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $190.71 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $242.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of $235.98.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. Union Pacific’s revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.67 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

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.