Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. Has $29.93 Million Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. cut its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.8% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 132,281 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 1,072 shares during the quarter. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $29,931,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BNP Paribas acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the first quarter worth $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $558,542,000 after purchasing an additional 222,318 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 19.0% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,078,000 after purchasing an additional 20,173 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,511,000 after purchasing an additional 4,089 shares during the period. Finally, M&G Plc acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the first quarter valued at approximately $10,378,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $249.12 on Monday. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $199.33 and a 52-week high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $243.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $239.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $151.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a $1.34 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Daiwa America lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Barclays decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $275.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Thursday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.79.

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.