J. W. Coons Advisors LLC Has $978,000 Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

J. W. Coons Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 8.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,288 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 350 shares during the period. J. W. Coons Advisors LLC’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $978,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. World Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 103.1% in the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,770,000 after buying an additional 18,060 shares during the last quarter. abrdn plc increased its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the 4th quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $94,588,000 after buying an additional 35,414 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $44,348,000 after buying an additional 4,939 shares during the last quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd increased its stake in Union Pacific by 24.2% in the 4th quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $63,185,000 after buying an additional 53,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic increased its stake in Union Pacific by 61.5% in the 4th quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 10,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,394,000 after buying an additional 4,000 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price objective (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.40.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $245.43 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $148.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.13, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $237.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $240.73. Union Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) 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 in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current 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 issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’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 completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’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 owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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.

About Union Pacific

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.