Financial Counselors Inc. Buys 2,108 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Financial Counselors Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 260,090 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,108 shares during the period. Union Pacific makes up 0.9% of Financial Counselors Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Financial Counselors Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $64,107,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Shellback Capital LP lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 28.2% in the second quarter. Shellback Capital LP now owns 20,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $4,525,000 after buying an additional 4,400 shares in the last quarter. Peoples Bank KS purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $834,000. Maj Invest Holding A S boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Maj Invest Holding A S now owns 676,098 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $166,645,000 after acquiring an additional 2,202 shares during the last quarter. Radnor Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at $2,923,000. Finally, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 190.5% in the third quarter. Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,430 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,092,000 after purchasing an additional 2,905 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $245.23 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $148.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.06. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $240.19 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $238.51. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.51 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 49.22%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Evercore ISI lowered Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $255.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.80.

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.