Vontobel Holding Ltd. Purchases 918,248 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Vontobel Holding Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 74.7% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 918,248 shares during the period. Union Pacific accounts for approximately 1.7% of Vontobel Holding Ltd.’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Vontobel Holding Ltd.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $489,600,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Roble Belko & Company Inc increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% in the fourth quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 213 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Pflug Koory LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Pflug Koory LLC now owns 8,569 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,954,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,409 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $321,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Regatta Capital Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $381,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Finally, True Link Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.2% during the third quarter. True Link Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,016 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $990,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.0 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $250.96 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $152.15 billion, a PE ratio of 22.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $235.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.14%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. TD Cowen increased their price target on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Benchmark boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

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.