Mechanics Bank Trust Department Has $1.79 Million Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Mechanics Bank Trust Department decreased its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 5.8% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 7,904 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 487 shares during the period. Mechanics Bank Trust Department’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,788,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 211.4% in the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.3 %

UNP traded down $3.02 during trading on Friday, reaching $237.52. 1,621,058 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,296,762. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $231.49 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.12. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $199.33 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The stock has a market cap of $144.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.57 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.12 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.26%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Barclays decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Company 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.