Martin Capital Partners LLC Has $1.43 Million Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Martin Capital Partners LLC lessened its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 59.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,249 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 9,057 shares during the period. Martin Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,425,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of UNP. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 265.7% in the third quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its position 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently issued reports on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.40.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.2 %

NYSE UNP opened at $243.46 on Wednesday. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The business’s fifty day moving average is $235.25 and its 200 day moving average is $240.12. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The company has a market cap of $147.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (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 in the prior year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.20%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 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.