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[8-K] UNION PACIFIC CORP Reports Material Event

Filing Impact
(Moderate)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Union Pacific Corporation reported that, on December 19, 2025, it and Norfolk Southern Corporation filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board seeking approval for a proposed combination in which Union Pacific would acquire Norfolk Southern. The companies also issued a joint press release and held an analyst conference call to explain key points of the application, with the release and call transcript furnished as exhibits to this report and made available on their investor websites.

The filing emphasizes that the merger remains subject to regulatory and other closing conditions and includes extensive cautionary language about forward‑looking statements. It highlights risks such as potential termination of the merger agreement, regulatory approvals that may impose conditions, integration challenges, possible cost increases, credit rating pressure, dilution from issuing additional Union Pacific shares, and ongoing legal and environmental matters, including those related to Norfolk Southern’s Eastern Ohio incident.

Positive

  • Progress on transformational rail combination: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have jointly filed a Surface Transportation Board application for a proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific, moving a major strategic transaction into the formal regulatory review phase.
  • Clear communication to the market: The companies furnished a joint press release and an analyst call transcript, providing investors with detailed explanations of the merger application and directing them to additional presentations on their investor websites.

Negative

  • Significant regulatory and execution risk: Completion of the transaction depends on Surface Transportation Board and other approvals, which may impose conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the merger.
  • Potential financial pressure and dilution: The filing warns of possible credit rating downgrades of Union Pacific’s indebtedness and notes that issuing additional Union Pacific common shares to complete the transaction would cause dilution.
  • Operational, legal, and environmental uncertainties: The cautionary language highlights integration challenges, business disruption, legal proceedings, and environmental and regulatory risks, including those related to Norfolk Southern’s Eastern Ohio incident.

Insights

Union Pacific moves its planned Norfolk Southern acquisition into the key regulatory approval phase, with extensive risks highlighted.

The report explains that Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board on December 19, 2025 seeking approval for a proposed combination in which Union Pacific would acquire Norfolk Southern. This step signals formal progression of a large railroad merger through the specialized rail regulator, alongside a joint press release and analyst call to outline the application.

The disclosure stresses that completion of the transaction depends on Surface Transportation Board and other approvals and on satisfying closing conditions under the definitive merger agreement. It notes that any event allowing termination of the agreement, adverse regulatory conditions, or a downgrade of Union Pacific’s debt could materially affect the combined company, and that issuing additional Union Pacific shares in connection with the transaction would cause dilution.

Management also cites risks tied to realizing expected benefits, cost savings, accretion, synergies, and growth, as well as potential business disruption, integration challenges, reputational effects, and ongoing matters such as Norfolk Southern’s Eastern Ohio incident and related environmental and regulatory issues. Future company filings and the merger registration statement on Form S‑4 are referenced as key sources for more detailed risk factors and transaction terms.

0000100885FALSE00001008852025-12-192025-12-19

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 (December 19, 2025)
______________________________________
UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
______________________________________
Utah1-607513-2626465
(State or other jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
1400 Douglas Street, Omaha, Nebraska
68179
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (402) 544-5000
N/A
(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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 ClassTrading SymbolName of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock
(Par Value $2.50 per share)
UNPNew 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 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 Union Pacific disclaims any such incorporation by reference. The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K and the accompanying exhibits are 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.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.
99.1
Joint Press Release, dated December 19, 2025.
99.2
UP/NS Merger Application Analyst Call Transcript dated December 19, 2025.
104Cover 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, as filed with the SEC on February 10, 2025 (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.



SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: December 19, 2025
UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION
By:/s/ Jennifer L. Hamann
Jennifer L. Hamann
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


Union Pacific

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