Schnieders Capital Management LLC Decreases Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Schnieders Capital Management LLC lessened its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 20.2% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 24,654 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 6,234 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises 1.3% of Schnieders Capital Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Schnieders Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $6,056,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fountainhead AM LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $231,000. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $938,000. Ellenbecker Investment Group lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 18.7% during the fourth quarter. Ellenbecker Investment Group now owns 1,844 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $453,000 after purchasing an additional 291 shares during the last quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 13.7% during the fourth quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,877 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $952,000 after purchasing an additional 468 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 13.6% during the fourth quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 24,536 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,027,000 after purchasing an additional 2,933 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on the company. StockNews.com lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, March 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised Union Pacific from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $280.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, January 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Monday, April 8th. They set a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $228.00 to $251.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $255.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP traded up $1.82 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $236.29. 1,980,821 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,306,394. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $244.85 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $234.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.67. The company has a market capitalization of $144.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Co. has a 1 year low of $190.37 and a 1 year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.56 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 46.87% and a net margin of 26.45%. The business had revenue of $6.16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.67 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down .3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.71%.

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.