Financial Counselors Inc. Boosts Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Financial Counselors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 1.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 264,076 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,986 shares during the period. Financial Counselors Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $60,220,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Compass Financial Services Inc purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 111.5% in the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $40,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $235.90 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $142.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. 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 Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.07. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $242.98 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $239.73.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.27%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Benchmark increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. This trade 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 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.