Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV Lowers Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV decreased its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 64.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 126,651 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 228,082 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $28,882,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL increased its position in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Up 2.0 %

UNP traded up $4.26 during trading on Friday, reaching $218.34. The stock had a trading volume of 2,926,803 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,592,748. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $204.66 and a one year high of $258.07. The company has a market capitalization of $130.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The stock's 50 day moving average is $228.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $234.60.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. Union Pacific's revenue for the quarter was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.69 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.45%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is presently 48.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of several analyst reports. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Raymond James restated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $257.86.

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.