Vest Financial LLC Has $1.65 Million Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Vest Financial LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 45.4% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 6,992 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 2,183 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,652,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,282,305,000 after acquiring an additional 1,616,895 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 14.3% during the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,370,559,000 after acquiring an additional 1,298,178 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,752,804,000 after acquiring an additional 363,937 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 15.2% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,587,763,000 after acquiring an additional 920,414 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on UNP shares. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 14th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. 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. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.74.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of UNP traded up $0.62 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $224.05. 3,097,206 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,680,311. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $133.87 billion, a PE ratio of 20.20, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $220.25 and a 200 day simple moving average of $232.17.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 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 analyst estimates of $6.11 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.69 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.39%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific's payout ratio is 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.