Simon Quick Advisors LLC Raises Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Simon Quick Advisors LLC increased its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 32.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,050 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 1,224 shares during the quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,193,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 11.9% in the 1st quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 1,952 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $461,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. Baker Ellis Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.0% during the first quarter. Baker Ellis Asset Management LLC now owns 10,988 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,596,000 after buying an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the first quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,553 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,729,000 after buying an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 4.1% during the first quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. now owns 4,933 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,165,000 after acquiring an additional 194 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Curbstone Financial Management Corp boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 18.4% during the first quarter. Curbstone Financial Management Corp now owns 2,834 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $670,000 after acquiring an additional 440 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on UNP. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Raymond James restated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 25th. Susquehanna lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Citigroup raised shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and cut their target price for the company from $260.00 to $244.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $257.74.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of UNP traded up $1.22 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $224.59. 2,659,498 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,685,094. The company has a market capitalization of $134.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.25, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company's 50 day moving average is $221.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $231.31.

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

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.39%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.29%.

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.