Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Houlihan Financial Resource Group Ltd.

Houlihan Financial Resource Group Ltd. reduced its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 14.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,202 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 200 shares during the period. Houlihan Financial Resource Group Ltd.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $284,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Capital Research Global Investors increased 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 valued at $2,370,559,000 after acquiring an additional 1,298,178 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 15.2% during 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. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,594,882 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,503,899,000 after acquiring an additional 105,111 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 35.2% during the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,968,658 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,133,053,000 after acquiring an additional 1,294,643 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 4,372,636 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $997,136,000 after acquiring an additional 89,199 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Citigroup cut shares of Union Pacific from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $270.00 to $250.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $222.27 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $131.82 billion, a PE ratio of 19.31, a P/E/G ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Union Pacific Corporation has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $227.09 and a 200-day simple moving average of $230.32.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The company’s revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.74 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

Union Pacific Company 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.