[8-K] NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP Reports Material Event

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Norfolk Southern Corporation reports that it and Union Pacific Corporation have jointly filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board seeking approval of a proposed combination in which Union Pacific would acquire Norfolk Southern. The companies also held an analyst conference call to discuss key points of the regulatory application and issued a joint press release, which are provided as exhibits.

The filing emphasizes that the information is being furnished, not filed, and includes extensive forward-looking statement language. It outlines numerous risks that could affect whether the transaction closes or delivers expected benefits, including potential legal proceedings, failure to obtain regulatory approvals or burdensome conditions, integration challenges, higher-than-expected costs, credit rating pressure, reputational impacts, and ongoing risks related to Norfolk Southern’s Eastern Ohio incident and associated remediation and regulatory developments.

Insights

Transportation M&A and regulatory analyst

Norfolk Southern moves its planned Union Pacific acquisition into the formal rail-regulator review stage.

The disclosure shows Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have now submitted their merger application to the Surface Transportation Board, a key step for any large U.S. railroad combination. The companies also engaged investors via a joint press release and analyst call, signaling that the deal’s structure and regulatory case are sufficiently advanced to present in detail.

The text stresses that completion is uncertain, highlighting many risks: possible termination of the merger agreement, legal proceedings, failure or delay in obtaining Surface Transportation Board and other approvals, integration complexity, higher costs, and potential credit-rating pressure from new debt or equity issuance. It also notes ongoing exposures from Norfolk Southern’s Eastern Ohio incident, including litigation, remediation, and potential new regulation.

Overall, this content advances a major strategic transaction but underscores that timing, conditions, and ultimate benefits depend heavily on regulatory outcomes, integration execution, and how incident-related matters evolve over time.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP false 0000702165 0000702165 2025-12-19 2025-12-19

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

December 19, 2025

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Virginia		1-8339		52-1188014
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

650 West Peachtree Street NW

Atlanta, Georgia

30308-1925

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(855) 667-3655

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

No Change

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class		Trading Symbol		Name of each exchange on which registered
Norfolk Southern Corporation Common Stock (Par Value $1.00)		NSC		New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On December 19, 2025 Union Pacific Corporation (“Union Pacific”) and Norfolk Southern Corporation (“Norfolk Southern ”) issued a joint press release announcing that they have filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board requesting approval of the proposed combination of the two companies and held a conference call to discuss key points of such application. A copy of the press release and transcript of the call are being furnished as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The full presentation, transcript, and recorded audio of the call are all also available on Union Pacific’s website www.up.com under Investors; Earnings Release and Management Presentations, on Norfolk Southern’s website www.norfolksouthern.com under Investors; News & Events; Events & Presentations, and on the website www.AmericasGreatConnection.com.

References to websites are not incorporated by reference into this Current Report on Form 8-K and Norfolk Southern disclaims any such incorporation by reference. The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K and the accompanying exhibits is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Exhibit 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.		Description of Exhibit
99.1		Joint Press Release, dated December 19, 2025.
99.2		UP/NS Merger Application Analyst Call Transcript, dated December 19, 2025.
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K and the call referred to herein contain forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements relate to future events or future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause Union Pacific’s, Norfolk Southern’s or the combined company’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements or those of the railroad industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words like “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “pro forma,” or any variations or other comparable terminology.

While Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have based these forward-looking statements on those expectations, assumptions, estimates, beliefs and projections they view as reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond Union Pacific’s, Norfolk Southern’s or the combined company’s control, including but not limited to, in addition to factors disclosed in Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s respective filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”): the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the definitive merger agreement between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern providing for the acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific (the “Transaction”); the risk that potential legal proceedings may be instituted against Union Pacific or Norfolk Southern and result in significant costs of defense, indemnification or liability; the possibility that the Transaction does not close when expected or at all because required Surface Transportation Board or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Transaction); the risk that the combined company will not realize expected benefits, cost savings, accretion, synergies and/or growth from the Transaction, or that such benefits may take longer to realize or be more costly to achieve than expected, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, tariffs,

interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern operate; disruption to the parties’ businesses as a result of the announcement and pendency of the Transaction; the costs associated with the anticipated length of time of the pendency of the Transaction, including the restrictions contained in the definitive merger agreement on the ability of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, respectively, to operate their respective businesses outside the ordinary course during the pendency of the Transaction; the diversion of Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s management’s attention and time from ongoing business operations and opportunities on merger-related matters; the risk that the integration of each party’s operations will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected or that the parties are otherwise unable to successfully integrate each party’s businesses into the other’s businesses; the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of Union Pacific’s or Norfolk Southern’s customers, suppliers, employees, labor unions or other business partners, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; the dilution caused by Union Pacific’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in connection with the consummation of the Transaction; the risk of a downgrade of the credit rating of Union Pacific’s indebtedness, which could give rise to an obligation to redeem existing indebtedness; a material adverse change in the financial condition of Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern or the combined company; changes in domestic or international economic, political or business conditions, including those impacting the transportation industry (including customers, employees and supply chains); Union Pacific’s, Norfolk Southern’s and the combined company’s ability to successfully implement its respective operational, productivity, and strategic initiatives; a significant adverse event on Union Pacific’s or Norfolk Southern’s network, including, but not limited to, a mainline accident, discharge of hazardous materials, or climate-related or other network outage; the outcome of claims, litigation, governmental proceedings and investigations involving Union Pacific or Norfolk Southern, including, in the case of Norfolk Southern, those with respect to the Eastern Ohio incident; the nature and extent of Norfolk Southern’s environmental remediation obligations with respect to the Eastern Ohio incident; new or additional governmental regulation and/or operational changes resulting from or related to the Eastern Ohio incident; and a cybersecurity incident or other disruption to our technology infrastructure.

This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. These and other important factors, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” in Norfolk Southern’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000702165/000070216525000008/nsc-20241231.htm) and Norfolk Southern’s subsequent filings with the SEC, Union Pacific’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 7, 2025 (available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000100885/000010088525000042/unp-20241231.htm) and Union Pacific’s subsequent filings with the SEC, as well as the risks described in Union Pacific’s registration statement on Form S-4 (No. 290282), as filed with the SEC on September 16, 2025, as amended on September 30, 2025 (available at https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/100885/000119312525224307/d908896ds4a.htm), may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. References to Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s website are provided for convenience and, therefore, information on or available through the website is not, and should not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein. The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date they were first issued, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law or regulation.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION (Registrant)
By:		/s/ Jeremy Ballard
Name:		Jeremy Ballard
Title:		Corporate Secretary
Date:		December 19, 2025