Qtron Investments LLC Buys 557 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Qtron Investments LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 9.1% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,665 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 557 shares during the quarter. Qtron Investments LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,575,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% in the 1st quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 50.5% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the period. IMA Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $55,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.4%

UNP opened at $220.55 on Monday. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1-year low of $204.66 and a 1-year high of $258.07. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $227.06 and its 200 day simple moving average is $229.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The stock has a market cap of $130.79 billion, a PE ratio of 19.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.74 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.57%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on UNP. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Barclays lowered Union Pacific from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $263.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Friday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.21.

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.