Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC Boosts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,515 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 443 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific comprises 1.2% of Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $5,285,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 108.9% during the third quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,128,575 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $840,702,000 after acquiring an additional 2,151,893 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 62.8% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,496,708 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,119,295,000 after buying an additional 2,119,382 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its position in Union Pacific by 65.5% during the 3rd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 2,348,496 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $478,224,000 after buying an additional 929,495 shares in the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 331.7% during the fourth quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 1,143,298 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $280,817,000 after buying an additional 878,490 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 20,736.8% in the fourth quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 803,677 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $197,399,000 after acquiring an additional 799,820 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $246.07 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $150.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.46, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.93. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $190.71 and a one year high of $258.66. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $242.47 and a two-hundred day moving average of $236.79.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.67 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $252.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Benchmark boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $266.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. UBS Group increased their target price on Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the company from $248.00 to $267.00 in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.61.

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.