Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Position Raised by Vontobel Holding Ltd.

Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 6.8% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,292,792 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 145,802 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific accounts for about 2.0% of Vontobel Holding Ltd.'s holdings, making the stock its 10th biggest position. Vontobel Holding Ltd. owned about 0.38% of Union Pacific worth $541,649,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Allred Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Allred Capital Management LLC now owns 8,349 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,904,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Palogic Value Management L.P. increased its position in Union Pacific by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Palogic Value Management L.P. now owns 2,823 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $644,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Mystic Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Union Pacific by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Mystic Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,309 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $527,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. Ironwood Investment Counsel LLC now owns 3,458 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $789,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Stephens decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 28th. Bank of America upped their price target on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given 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, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $256.91.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock traded up $5.53 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $235.61. The stock had a trading volume of 2,687,500 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,714,010. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91. The stock's 50 day moving average is $222.40 and its two-hundred day moving average is $230.64. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The stock has a market cap of $140.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.76% and a return on equity of 40.80%. The company's revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.69 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 30th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.29%.

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.