Shoker Investment Counsel Inc. Buys 222 Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Shoker Investment Counsel Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 1.6% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,494 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 222 shares during the quarter. Union Pacific makes up approximately 1.2% of Shoker Investment Counsel Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Shoker Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $3,425,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 12.6% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,282,305,000 after buying an additional 1,616,895 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 14.3% during the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,370,559,000 after purchasing an additional 1,298,178 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.0% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,752,804,000 after purchasing an additional 363,937 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 15.2% during the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,587,763,000 after purchasing an additional 920,414 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,594,882 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,503,899,000 after purchasing an additional 105,111 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $224.71 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $134.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $227.17 and a 200-day moving average price of $231.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07.

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

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.46%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 46.57%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on Union Pacific from $244.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $259.46.

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.