Union Pacific
UNP on NYSE. Union Pacific sells rail freight transport to businesses shipping goods across North America. Market value $164.6bn.
Price checks use the past 12 months to June 2026. Quality checks use five annual reports, the latest for the year to December 2025.
Should I look at this?
Worth a closer look
Why it could be worth it
What to watch out for
Nothing stood out in the numbers we check.
This is not advice. Check the numbers below.
For every $100 of what the whole company costs, it produced $3.95 of spare cash in the past 12 months. A savings account pays about $4.
You pay 19.0 years of operating profit for the business. The average large US company costs around 18.
Each dollar kept in the business earns 16 cents a year. Above 10 is good.
Quality score: 91 of 100. Price score: 67 of 100. Our list needs 70 on quality and 60 on price.
$277.06 a share, 29% above its 1-year low
Over the past year the price has ranged from $215.53 to $315.99.
Dividend: 2.0% a year
Paid every year for at least 5 years
Prices from Monday’s close (5 October).
Five years of cash, in billions
| Revenue | |||||
| Revenue | $21.8bn | $24.9bn | $24.1bn | $24.3bn | $24.5bn |
| Operating margin | |||||
| Operating margin | 42.8% | 39.9% | 37.7% | 40.1% | 40.2% |
| Debt to equity | |||||
| Debt to equity | 2.13 | 2.76 | 2.20 | 1.85 | 1.72 |
| Shares outstanding | |||||
| Shares outstanding | 0.61bn | 0.61bn | 0.61bn | 0.59bn | 0.59bn |
Health checks
- Free cash flow positive5 of 5 years
- Accounting looks honest (Beneish)Not enough data
- Financial strength (Piotroski)6 of 8 checks we could run
- Profit backed by cash (accruals)Yes
- Debt1.72× equity
- Revenue growth, five yearsSlow, 4.6% a year
- Buying back its own sharesYes, 3% fewer since 2021
The quarter to June 2026
How the business did, compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
- Sales: $6.9 billion last quarter, up 12% on a year ago.
- Profit: $2 billion, up 6% on a year ago.
- It keeps 40 cents of each $1 of sales as operating profit, about the same as a year earlier.
- Spare cash over the past 12 months: $6.5 billion, up from $6.3 billion.
- About the same number of shares as a year ago.
- Debt is $28.7 billion more than cash, down from $31.8 billion a year ago.
- Sales grew on a year ago in 3 of the last 4 quarters.
| Quarter to | Amount |
|---|---|
| September 2024 | $6.1bn |
| December 2024 | $6.1bn |
| March 2025 | $6.0bn |
| June 2025 | $6.2bn |
| September 2025 | $6.2bn |
| December 2025 | $6.1bn |
| March 2026 | $6.2bn |
| June 2026 | $6.9bn |
| Quarter to | Amount |
|---|---|
| September 2024 | $1.7bn |
| December 2024 | $1.8bn |
| March 2025 | $1.6bn |
| June 2025 | $1.9bn |
| September 2025 | $1.8bn |
| December 2025 | $1.8bn |
| March 2026 | $1.7bn |
| June 2026 | $2.0bn |
From the company's quarterly reports to the SEC.
Dates
- Next results (estimated)
- 22 October 2026
- Last annual report (10-K)
- 6 February 2026
- Next quarterly (estimated, 10-Q)
- 22 October 2026
Who owns it
27 long-term investors we follow own it, unchanged from 27 last quarter. 2,879 funds in all.
- Harris Associates (Oakmark)Bill Nygren
- Value
- $1.0bn
- Share of fund
- 1.4%
- Beutel GoodmanBeutel Goodman team
- Value
- $286m
- Share of fund
- 2.1%
- First Manhattan Co.First Manhattan partners
- Value
- $176m
- Share of fund
- 0.4%
- Dodge & CoxDodge & Cox investment committee
- Value
- $71m
- Share of fund
- <0.1%
- Cullen Capital ManagementJames Cullen
- Value
- $41m
- Share of fund
- 0.4%
- Tweedy, BrowneTweedy Browne partners
- Value
- $5m
- Share of fund
- 0.4%
- Greenhaven AssociatesEdgar Wachenheim III
- Value
- $552,704
- Share of fund
- <0.1%
- Aristotle Capital ManagementHoward Gleicher
- Value
- $474,640
- Share of fund
- <0.1%
- Fenimore Asset Management (FAM Funds)John Fox
- Value
- $430,848
- Share of fund
- <0.1%
- Torray Investment PartnersRobert Torray (founder)
- Value
- $231,200
- Share of fund
- <0.1%
- Heartland AdvisorsBill Nasgovitz
- Value
- $156,400
- Share of fund
- <0.1%
Sold out this quarter
Largest holders overall
- BlackRock$13.0bn
- Vanguard Capital Management$10.5bn
- State Street$7.6bnAdded
- Capital World Investors$7.4bn
- Capital Research Global Investors$4.7bn
- Geode Capital Management$4.4bn
- JPMorgan Chase$4.3bnCut
- Morgan Stanley$4.0bnCut
- Bank of America$4.0bn
- Vanguard Portfolio Management$3.9bn
From 13F filings for the quarter ended 30 June 2026.
Big holders and activists
1 investor owns more than 5%.
- Vanguard Capital ManagementPassive investor7.5%Since 31 March 2026
- The Vanguard GroupPassive investorSold down below 5%Since 13 March 2026
| Holder | Stake | Since | |
|---|---|---|---|
Vanguard Capital Management Passive investor | 7.5% | 31 March 2026 | |
The Vanguard Group Passive investor | Sold down below 5% | 13 March 2026 |
From Schedule 13D and 13G filings: anyone owning more than 5% must file one.
What insiders did
No insider bought shares on the open market in the last 12 months. 3 sold $9m.
- Gehringer Eric JEVP OPERATIONSSold
- Date
- 3 June 2026
- Shares
- 2,991
- Price
- $263.96
- Value
- $789,504
- Hamann Jennifer LEVP & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERSold
- Date
- 24 April 2026
- Shares
- 2,000
- Price
- $274.70
- Value
- $549,400
- Rocker Kenyatta GEVP MARKETING & SALESSold
- Date
- 24 April 2026
- Shares
- 27,387
- Price
- $271.76
- Value
- $7m
- Gehringer Eric JEVP OPERATIONSSold
- Date
- 20 March 2026
- Shares
- 1,999
- Price
- $234.93
- Value
- $469,625
| Date | Who | Did | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 June 2026 | Gehringer Eric J EVP OPERATIONS | Sold | 2,991 | $263.96 | $789,504 |
| 24 April 2026 | Hamann Jennifer L EVP & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | Sold | 2,000 | $274.70 | $549,400 |
| 24 April 2026 | Rocker Kenyatta G EVP MARKETING & SALES | Sold | 27,387 | $271.76 | $7m |
| 20 March 2026 | Gehringer Eric J EVP OPERATIONS | Sold | 1,999 | $234.93 | $469,625 |
From Form 4 filings: insiders must report trades in their own company's shares within two days.
Warning signs in its filings
Problems the company itself reported to the SEC, in its own words.
None of the warning signs we check for were found.
We look for five warning signs: doubt it can keep going, weak checks on its own accounts, a notice that its past accounts can't be relied on, a change of auditor, and one customer bringing in a big share of sales. We don't check lawsuits, investigations or debt yet.
We checked the auditor's report, internal controls, restatement notices, auditor changes and big customers in the 10-K filed 6 Feb 2026, plus the 10-Q filed 23 Jul 2026 and 3 later 8-Ks.
A 10-K is the yearly report every US company files with the SEC. An 8-K is a short notice of a big event.
What could go wrong
Cheap for a reason is the question the numbers cannot answer.
Whether the price already reflects the risks is what the deep dive is for.
What changed in the risks this year
Companies must list what could hurt them each year. These are the parts that changed since last year’s report.
The merger agreement contains provisions that limit our ability to pursue alternatives to the mergers, and, in specified circumstances,…
Could happenThe merger agreement contains provisions that limit our ability to pursue alternatives to the mergers, and, in specified circumstances, could require us to pay substantial termination fees to Norfolk Southern — The merger agreement contains certain provisions that restrict our ability to initiate, solicit, knowingly encourage, or, subject to certain exceptions, engage in discussions or negotiations with respect to, or approve or recommend, any alternative proposal.
Read moreCompletion of the mergers may trigger change in control or other provisions in certain agreements to which Norfolk Southern or its…
Could happenCompletion of the mergers may trigger change in control or other provisions in certain agreements to which Norfolk Southern or its subsidiaries are a party, which may have an adverse impact on the combined company’s business and results of operations — The completion of the mergers may trigger change in control and other provisions in certain agreements to which Norfolk Southern or its subsidiaries are a party. If the Company and Norfolk Southern are unable to negotiate waivers of those provisions, the counterparties may exercise their rights and remedies under the agreements, potentially terminating the agreements or seeking monetary damages. Even if the Company and Norfolk Southern are able to negotiate waivers, the counterparties may require a fee for such waivers or seek to renegotiate the agreements on terms less favorable to Norfolk Southern or the combined company. Any of the foregoing or similar developments may have an adverse impact on the combined company’s business and results of operations.
Read more• the diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business concerns and performance shortfalls at one or both of the companies as a…
• the diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business concerns and performance shortfalls at one or both of the companies as a result of the devotion of management’s attention to the mergers;
If the merger agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, and we or Norfolk Southern seek another business combination, we may…
Could happenIf the merger agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, and we or Norfolk Southern seek another business combination, we may not be able to negotiate a transaction with another party on terms comparable to, or better than, the terms of the merger agreement.
In addition, under existing law, our railroad competitors and customers, Norfolk Southern’s railroad competitors and customers, and other…
Could happenIn addition, under existing law, our railroad competitors and customers, Norfolk Southern’s railroad competitors and customers, and other interested parties may intervene to oppose the STB application or seek protective conditions in the event approval by the STB is granted, which might affect the decision of the STB, delay the approval process, or reduce the anticipated benefits of the mergers. Furthermore, if the STB does not provide final approval or imposes conditions on its approval in a final order, and the Company and Norfolk Southern decide to appeal such final order from the STB, any such appeal might not be resolved for a substantial period of time after the entry of such order by the STB.
Read more
The deep dive
Everything above is arithmetic on public filings. The deep dive reads the last ten years of annual reports, the proxy statements, and the earnings calls, then argues the case the way Buffett, Klarman, and Hohn would, and checks every claim against the source.
- What the business is worth, as a range, and the margin of safety at today’s price
- Prices to start buying, buy, and buy hard
- The three things that would make this a mistake
- Every number footnoted to the filing it came from
Your first deep dive is free.
Not advice. Numbers on this page come from SEC filings and are updated each night; prices are updated again after the US market closes. The five-year figures are rounded.