Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. Buys 525 Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. lifted its stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 2.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 21,443 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 525 shares during the period. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $4,890,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 111.5% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the period. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $40,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Benchmark raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Guggenheim raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 directly 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $236.24 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market cap of $142.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.30, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $242.44 and a 200 day simple moving average of $240.35. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07.

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, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 last year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

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

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.