Optiver Holding B.V. Acquires 888 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Optiver Holding B.V. lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 510.3% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,062 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 888 shares during the quarter. Optiver Holding B.V.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $242,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Howard Capital Management Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 16.4% in the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $705,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% in the third quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 43,071 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $10,616,000 after acquiring an additional 276 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 103.1% during the third quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,770,000 after buying an additional 18,060 shares during the last quarter. Arvest Bank Trust Division purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $16,680,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB increased its stake in Union Pacific by 124.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 52,963 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $13,054,000 after acquiring an additional 29,330 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Benchmark raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Stephens reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Susquehanna reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Citigroup upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $257.86.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.4 %

UNP opened at $212.53 on Tuesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $230.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $235.43. The company has a market capitalization of $127.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.16, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $204.66 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.11 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.69 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.52%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio 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.