UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)



For the quarterly period ended March 31,  2019

OR



For the transition period from __________ to ____________



Commission File Number 1-6075



UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)





1400 DOUGLAS STREET, OMAHA, NEBRASKA

(Address of principal executive offices)

68179

(Zip Code)

(402) 544-5000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)





Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

☒ Yes     ☐ No



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

☒ Yes     ☐ No



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.





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. 

☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

☐ Yes     ☒ No



As of April  12,  2019, there were 707,838,173 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock outstanding.



 

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES



PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION





PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION



Item 1. Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements



Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

Union Pacific Corporation and Subsidiary Companies









Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)

Union Pacific Corporation and Subsidiary Companies







[a]Net of deferred taxes of $(4) million and $(6) million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, and 2018, respectively.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.





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Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited)

Union Pacific Corporation and Subsidiary Companies







The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

Union Pacific Corporation and Subsidiary Companies







The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders’ Equity (Unaudited)

Union Pacific Corporation and Subsidiary Companies







[a]AOCI = Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) (Note 9)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES



NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS



(Unaudited)



For purposes of this report, unless the context otherwise requires, all references herein to the “Corporation”, “Company”, “UPC”, “we”, “us”, and “our” mean Union Pacific Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Union Pacific Railroad Company, which will be separately referred to herein as “UPRR” or the “Railroad”.

 

1. Basis of Presentation



Our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are unaudited and reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal and recurring adjustments) that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for their fair presentation in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted. Accordingly, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto contained in our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our Consolidated Statement of Financial Position at December 31, 2018, is derived from audited financial statements. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31,  2019, are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year ending December 31, 2019.  



The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in accordance with GAAP as codified in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC).



2. Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (ASU 2016-02), Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 requires companies to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements.  We implemented an enterprise-wide lease management system to support the new reporting requirements, and effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842).    We elected an initial application date of January 1, 2019 and will not recast comparative periods in transition to the new standard.  In addition, we elected certain practical expedients which permit us to not reassess whether existing contracts are or contain leases, to not reassess the lease classification of any existing leases, to not reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases, and to not separate lease and nonlease components for all classes of underlying assets.  We also made an accounting policy election to keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off of the balance sheet for all classes of underlying assets. Adoption of the new standard resulted in an increase in the Company’s assets and liabilities of approximately $2 billion.    The ASU did not have an impact on our consolidated results of operations or cash flows.



 



3. Operations and Segmentation



The Railroad, along with its subsidiaries and rail affiliates, is our one reportable operating segment. Although we provide and analyze revenue by commodity group, we treat the financial results of the Railroad as one segment due to the integrated nature of our rail network. Our operating revenues are primarily derived from contracts with customers for the transportation of freight from origin to destination. 

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The following table represents a disaggregation of our freight and other revenues:



 

Although our revenues are principally derived from customers domiciled in the U.S., the ultimate points of origin or destination for some products we transport are outside the U.S. Each of our commodity groups includes revenue from shipments to and from Mexico. Included in the above table are freight revenues from our Mexico business which amounted to $576 million and $579 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31,  2019, and March 31,  2018. 



4. Stock-Based Compensation



We have several stock-based compensation plans under which employees and non-employee directors receive stock options, nonvested retention shares, and nonvested stock units. We refer to the nonvested shares and stock units collectively as “retention awards”. We have elected to issue treasury shares to cover option exercises and stock unit vestings, while new shares are issued when retention shares are granted.



Information regarding stock-based compensation appears in the table below:





Stock Options – We estimate the fair value of our stock option awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The table below shows the annual weighted-average assumptions used for valuation purposes:



 

The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant; the expected dividend yield is calculated as the ratio of dividends paid per share of common stock to the stock price on the date of grant; the expected life is based on historical and expected exercise behavior; and expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of our stock price over the expected life of the option.



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A summary of stock option activity during the three months ended March 31,  2019, is presented below:

 

Stock options are granted at the closing price on the date of grant, have ten-year contractual terms, and vest no later than three years from the date of grant. None of the stock options outstanding at March 31, 2019, are subject to performance or market-based vesting conditions.



At March 31, 2019, there was $30 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years. Additional information regarding stock option exercises appears in the table below:



 

Retention Awards – The fair value of retention awards is based on the closing price of the stock on the grant date. Dividends and dividend equivalents are paid to participants during the vesting periods.



Changes in our retention awards during the three months ended March 31,  2019, were as follows:



 

Retention awards are granted at no cost to the employee or non-employee director and vest over periods lasting up to four years. At March 31,  2019, there was $135 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested retention awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years.



Performance Retention Awards – In February 2019, our Board of Directors approved performance stock unit grants. The basic terms of these performance stock units are identical to those granted in February 2018, except for different annual return on invested capital (ROIC) performance targets. The plan also includes relative operating income growth (OIG) as a modifier compared to the companies included in the S&P 500 Industrials Index. We define ROIC as net operating profit adjusted for interest expense (including interest on the present value of operating leases) and taxes on interest divided by average invested capital adjusted for the present value of operating leases. The modifier can be up to +/- 25% of the award earned based on the ROIC achieved, but not to exceed the maximum number of shares granted.



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Stock units awarded to selected employees under these grants are subject to continued employment for 37 months and the attainment of certain levels of ROIC, modified for the relative OIG. We expense the fair value of the units that are probable of being earned based on our forecasted ROIC over the 3-year performance period, and with respect to the third year of the plan, the relative OIG modifier. We measure the fair value of these performance stock units based upon the closing price of the underlying common stock as of the date of grant, reduced by the present value of estimated future dividends. Dividend equivalents are paid to participants only after the units are earned.



The assumptions used to calculate the present value of estimated future dividends related to the February 2019 grant were as follows:



 

Changes in our performance retention awards during the three months ended March 31,  2019, were as follows:



 

At March 31,  2019, there was $54 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested performance retention awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years. This expense is subject to achievement of the performance measures established for the performance stock unit grants.

 

5. Retirement Plans



Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits



Pension Plans – We provide defined benefit retirement income to eligible non-union employees through qualified and non-qualified (supplemental) pension plans. Qualified and non-qualified pension benefits are based on years of service and the highest compensation during the latest years of employment, with specific reductions made for early retirements.  Non-union employees hired on or after January 1, 2018 are no longer eligible for pension benefits, but are eligible for an enhanced 401(k) plan as described below in other retirement programs.



Other Postretirement Benefits (OPEB) – We provide medical and life insurance benefits for eligible retirees hired before January 1, 2004. These benefits are funded as medical claims and life insurance premiums are paid.



Expense



Both pension and OPEB expense are determined based upon the annual service cost of benefits (the actuarial cost of benefits earned during a period) and the interest cost on those liabilities, less the expected return on plan assets. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is applied to a calculated value of plan assets that recognizes changes in fair value over a five-year period. This practice is intended to reduce year-to-year volatility in pension expense, but it can have the effect of delaying the recognition of differences between actual returns on assets and expected returns based on long-term rate of return assumptions. Differences in actual experience in relation to assumptions are not recognized in net income immediately, but are deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income and, if necessary, amortized as pension or OPEB expense.

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The components of our net periodic pension and OPEB cost were as follows for the three months ended March 31:





Cash Contributions



For the three months ended March 31, 2019, we did not make any cash contributions to the qualified pension plan. Any contributions made during 2019 will be based on cash generated from operations and financial market considerations. Our policy with respect to funding the qualified plans is to fund at least the minimum required by law and not more than the maximum amount deductible for tax purposes. At March 31,  2019, we do not have minimum cash funding requirements for 2019.

 

6. Other Income / (Expense)



Other income / (expense) included the following:





[a]2018 includes a debt extinguishment charge for the early redemption of certain bonds and debentures in the first quarter

(Note 14).

[b]2019 includes $27 million in interest income associated with the employment tax refund (Note 17).  



7. Income Taxes



The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is performing limited scope audits of UPC’s 2016 and 2017 tax returns.  The statute of limitations has run for all years prior to 2015. Several state tax authorities are examining our state tax returns for years 2015 through 2017. At March 31, 2019, we had a net liability for unrecognized tax benefits of $176 million.



On April 9, 2019, Arkansas enacted legislation to decrease its corporate income tax rate effective 2021. In the second quarter of 2019, we will decrease our deferred tax expense by $21 million to reflect the decreased tax rate.



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8. Earnings Per Share



The following table provides a reconciliation between basic and diluted earnings per share:





 



9. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)



Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) for the three months ended March 31,  2019, and 2018, were as follows (net of tax):





[a]The accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) reclassification components are 1) prior service cost/(credit) and 2) net actuarial loss which are both included in the computation of net periodic pension cost. See Note 5 Retirement Plans for additional details.

[b]ASU 2018-02 is the Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, which allows entities the option to reclassify from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings the income tax effects that remain stranded in AOCI resulting from the application of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.







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10. Accounts Receivable



Accounts receivable includes freight and other receivables reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance is based upon historical losses, credit worthiness of customers, and current economic conditions. At March 31,  2019, and December 31, 2018, our accounts receivable were reduced by $6 million and $3 million, respectively. Receivables not expected to be collected in one year and the associated allowances are classified as other assets in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. At March 31,  2019, and December 31, 2018, receivables classified as other assets were reduced by allowances of $28 million and $27 million, respectively.



Receivables Securitization Facility – The Railroad maintains a $650 million, 3-year receivables securitization facility (the Receivables Facility) maturing in July 2019. Under the Receivables Facility, the Railroad sells most of its eligible third-party receivables to Union Pacific Receivables, Inc. (UPRI), a consolidated, wholly-owned, bankruptcy-remote subsidiary that may subsequently transfer, without recourse, an undivided interest in accounts receivable to investors. The investors have no recourse to the Railroad’s other assets except for customary warranty and indemnity claims. Creditors of the Railroad do not have recourse to the assets of UPRI. 



The amount recorded under the Receivables Facility was $400 million at both March 31,  2019, and December 31, 2018. The Receivables Facility was supported by $1.3 billion and $1.4 billion of accounts receivable as collateral at March 31,  2019, and December 31, 2018, respectively, which, as a retained interest, is included in accounts receivable, net in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.



The outstanding amount the Railroad is allowed to maintain under the Receivables Facility, with a maximum of $650 million, may fluctuate based on the availability of eligible receivables and is directly affected by business volumes and credit risks, including receivables payment quality measures such as default and dilution ratios. If default or dilution ratios increase one percent, the allowable outstanding amount under the Receivables Facility would not materially change.



The costs of the Receivables Facility include interest, which will vary based on prevailing benchmark and commercial paper rates, program fees paid to participating banks, commercial paper issuance costs, and fees of participating banks for unused commitment availability. The costs of the Receivables Facility are included in interest expense and were $4 million for both the three months ended March 31,  2019, and 2018.

 

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11. Properties



The following tables list the major categories of property and equipment, as well as the weighted-average estimated useful life for each category (in years):



 





[a]Other roadway includes grading, bridges and tunnels, signals, buildings, and other road assets.

 

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12. Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities



 

13. Financial Instruments



Short-Term Investments – All of the Company’s short-term investments consist of time deposits. These investments are considered level 2 investments and are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. As of March 31, 2019, the Company had $90 million of short-term investments, of which $30 million are in a trust for the purpose of providing collateral for payment of certain other long-term liabilities, and as such are reclassified as other assets. All short-term investments have a maturity of less than one year and are classified as held-to-maturity. There were no transfers out of Level 2 during the three months ended March 31,  2019.



Fair Value of Financial Instruments – The fair value of our short- and long-term debt was estimated using a market value price model, which utilizes applicable U.S. Treasury rates along with current market quotes on comparable debt securities. All of the inputs used to determine the fair market value of the Corporation’s long-term debt are Level 2 inputs and obtained from an independent source. At March 31,  2019, the fair value of total debt was $25.7 billion, approximately $0.6 billion more than the carrying value. At December 31, 2018, the fair value of total debt was $21.9 billion, approximately $0.5 billion less than the carrying value. The fair value of the Corporation’s debt is a measure of its current value under present market conditions.  The fair value of our cash equivalents approximates their carrying value due to the short-term maturities of these instruments.

 







14. Debt



Credit Facilities – At March 31,  2019, we had $2.0 billion of credit available under our revolving credit facility, which is designated for general corporate purposes and supports the issuance of commercial paper. We did not draw on the facility at any time during the three months ended March 31,  2019. Commitment fees and interest rates payable under the Facility are similar to fees and rates available to comparably rated, investment-grade borrowers. The Facility allows for borrowings at floating rates based on London Interbank Offered Rates, plus a spread, depending upon credit ratings for our senior unsecured debt. The facility matures in June 2023 under a five-year term and requires UPC to maintain a debt-to-EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) coverage ratio.



The definition of debt used for purposes of calculating the debt-to-EBITDA coverage ratio includes, among other things, certain credit arrangements, capital leases, guarantees, unfunded and vested pension benefits under Title IV of ERISA, and unamortized debt discount and deferred debt issuance costs. At March 31, 2019, the Company was in compliance with the debt-to-EBITDA coverage ratio, which allows us to carry up to $38.1 billion of debt (as defined in the Facility), and we had $26.0 billion of debt (as defined in the Facility) outstanding at that date. The Facility does not include any other financial restrictions, credit rating triggers (other than rating-dependent pricing), or any other provision that could require us to post collateral. The Facility also includes a $150 million cross-default provision and a change-of-control provision.



During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we issued $2.95 billion and repaid $2.65 billion of commercial paper with maturities ranging from 1 to 31 days, and at March 31, 2019, we had $500 million of commercial paper outstanding. Our revolving credit facility supports our outstanding commercial paper

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balances, and, unless we change the terms of our commercial paper program, our aggregate issuance of commercial paper will not exceed the amount of borrowings available under the Facility.



Shelf Registration Statement and Significant New Borrowings  – In 2018, the Board of Directors reauthorized the issuance of up to $6 billion of debt securities.  Under our Shelf registration, we may issue, from time to time any combination of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, or warrants for debt securities or preferred stock in one or more offerings.



During the three months ended March 31,  2019, we issued the following unsecured, fixed-rate debt securities under our current shelf registration:



We used the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of common stock pursuant to our share repurchase programs. These debt securities include change-of-control provisions. At March 31, 2019, we had remaining authority to issue up to $3.0 billion of debt securities under our Shelf registration.



Receivables Securitization Facility – As of both March 31,  2019, and December 31, 2018, we recorded $400 million of borrowings under our Receivables Facility as secured debt. (See further discussion of our receivables securitization facility in Note 10).



Debt Redemption – Effective as of March 15, 2018, we redeemed, in entirety, the Missouri Pacific 5% Income Debentures due 2045, the Chicago and Eastern Illinois 5% Income Debentures due 2054, and the Missouri Pacific 4.75% General Mortgage Income Bonds Series A due 2020 and Series B due 2030.  The debentures had principal outstanding of $96 million and $2 million, respectively, and the bonds had principal outstanding of $30 million and $27 million, respectively.  The bonds and debentures were assumed by the Railroad in the 1982 acquisition of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company, with a weighted average interest rate of 4.9%.  The carrying value of all four bonds and debentures at the time of redemption was $70 million, due to fair value purchase accounting adjustments related to the acquisition. The redemption resulted in an early extinguishment charge of $85 million in the first quarter of 2018.

 

15. Variable Interest Entities



We have entered into various lease transactions in which the structure of the leases contain variable interest entities (VIEs). These VIEs were created solely for the purpose of doing lease transactions (principally involving railroad equipment and facilities) and have no other activities, assets or liabilities outside of the lease transactions. Within these lease arrangements, we have the right to purchase some or all of the assets at fixed prices. Depending on market conditions, fixed-price purchase options available in the leases could potentially provide benefits to us; however, these benefits are not expected to be significant.



We maintain and operate the assets based on contractual obligations within the lease arrangements, which set specific guidelines consistent within the railroad industry. As such, we have no control over activities that could materially impact the fair value of the leased assets. We do not hold the power to direct the activities of the VIEs and, therefore, do not control the ongoing activities that have a significant impact on the economic performance of the VIEs. Additionally, we do not have the obligation to absorb losses of the VIEs or the right to receive benefits of the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the VIEs.



We are not considered to be the primary beneficiary and do not consolidate these VIEs because our actions and decisions do not have the most significant effect on the VIE’s performance and our fixed-price purchase options are not considered to be potentially significant to the VIEs. The future minimum lease payments associated with the VIE leases totaled $1.6 billion as of March 31,  2019.

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16. Leases



Our significant accounting policies are detailed in Note 2 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.  Changes to our accounting policies as a result of adopting ASU 2016-02 are discussed below.



We lease certain locomotives, freight cars, and other property for use in our rail operations. We determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception.  We have lease agreements with lease and non-lease components and we have elected to not separate lease and non-lease components for all classes of underlying assets. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on our Consolidated Statements of Financial Position; we recognize lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Leases with initial terms in excess of 12 months are recorded as operating or financing leases in our Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.  Operating leases are included in operating lease assets, accounts payable and other current liabilities, and operating lease liabilities on our Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.  Finance leases are included in net properties, debt due within one year, and debt due after one year on our Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.



Operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use a collateralized incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date, including lease term, in determining the present value of future payments. The operating lease asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives and initial direct costs incurred. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and reported in Equipment and other rents and financing lease expense is recorded as Depreciation and Interest expense in our Consolidated Statements of Income.







 [a]   Finance lease assets are recorded net of accumulated amortization of $717 million as of March 31, 2019.



The lease cost components are classified as follows:





[a]   Includes short-term lease costs of $0.2 million and variable lease costs of $1.9 million.



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The following table presents aggregate lease maturities as of March 31, 2019:





The Consolidated Statement of Financial Position as of December 31, 2018 included $1,454, net of $912 million of accumulated depreciation for properties held under capital leases.  The following table presents aggregate lease maturities as of December 31, 2018:









The following table presents the weighted average remaining lease term and discount rate:





The following table presents other information related to our operating and finance leases:



















 



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17. Commitments and Contingencies



Asserted and Unasserted Claims – Various claims and lawsuits are pending against us and certain of our subsidiaries. We cannot fully determine the effect of all asserted and unasserted claims on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity. To the extent possible, we have recorded a liability where asserted and unasserted claims are considered probable and where such claims can be reasonably estimated. We do not expect that any known lawsuits, claims, environmental costs, commitments, contingent liabilities, or guarantees will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity after taking into account liabilities and insurance recoveries previously recorded for these matters.



Personal Injury – The cost of personal injuries to employees and others related to our activities is charged to expense based on estimates of the ultimate cost and number of incidents each year. We use an actuarial analysis to measure the expense and liability, including unasserted claims. The Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) governs compensation for work-related accidents. Under FELA, damages are assessed based on a finding of fault through litigation or out-of-court settlements. We offer a comprehensive variety of services and rehabilitation programs for employees who are injured at work.

 

Our personal injury liability is not discounted to present value due to the uncertainty surrounding the timing of future payments. Approximately 94% of the recorded liability is related to asserted claims and approximately 6% is related to unasserted claims at March 31,  2019. Because of the uncertainty surrounding the ultimate outcome of personal injury claims, it is reasonably possible that future costs to settle these claims may range from approximately $266 million to $292 million. We record an accrual at the low end of the range as no amount of loss within the range is more probable than any other. Estimates can vary over time due to evolving trends in litigation.



Our personal injury liability activity was as follows:



 

We reassess our estimated insurance recoveries annually and have recognized an asset for estimated insurance recoveries at both December 31, 2018, and 2017. Any changes to recorded insurance recoveries are included in the above table in the Changes in estimates for prior years category.



Environmental Costs – We are subject to federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. We have identified 337 sites at which we are or may be liable for remediation costs associated with alleged contamination or for violations of environmental requirements. This includes 32 sites that are the subject of actions taken by the U.S. government, 21 of which are currently on the Superfund National Priorities List. Certain federal legislation imposes joint and several liability for the remediation of identified sites; consequently, our ultimate environmental liability may include costs relating to activities of other parties, in addition to costs relating to our own activities at each site.



When we identify an environmental issue with respect to property owned, leased, or otherwise used in our business, we perform, with assistance of our consultants, environmental assessments on the property. We expense the cost of the assessments as incurred. We accrue the cost of remediation where our obligation is probable and such costs can be reasonably estimated. Our environmental liability is not discounted to present value due to the uncertainty surrounding the timing of future payments.



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Our environmental liability activity was as follows:



 

The environmental liability includes future costs for remediation and restoration of sites, as well as ongoing monitoring costs, but excludes any anticipated recoveries from third parties. Cost estimates are based on information available for each site, financial viability of other potentially responsible parties, and existing technology, laws, and regulations. The ultimate liability for remediation is difficult to determine because of the number of potentially responsible parties, site-specific cost sharing arrangements with other potentially responsible parties, the degree of contamination by various wastes, the scarcity and quality of volumetric data related to many of the sites, and the speculative nature of remediation costs. Estimates of liability may vary over time due to changes in federal, state, and local laws governing environmental remediation. Current obligations are not expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity.



Insurance – The Company has a consolidated, wholly-owned captive insurance subsidiary (the captive), that provides insurance coverage for certain risks including FELA claims and property coverage which are subject to reinsurance. The captive entered into annual reinsurance treaty agreements that insure workers compensation, general liability, auto liability and FELA risk. The captive cedes a portion of its FELA exposure through the treaty and assumes a proportionate share of the entire risk. The captive receives direct premiums, which are netted against the Company’s premium costs in other expenses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. The treaty agreements provide for certain protections against the risk of treaty participants’ non-performance, and we do not believe our exposure to treaty participants’ non-performance is material at this time. We record both liabilities and reinsurance receivables using an actuarial analysis based on historical experience in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Effective January 2019, the captive insurance subsidiary no longer participates in the reinsurance treaty agreement. The Company established a trust in the fourth quarter of 2018 for the purpose of providing collateral as required under the reinsurance treaty agreement for prior years’ participation.



Guarantees – At both March 31,  2019 and December 31, 2018, we were contingently liable for $22 million in guarantees. The fair value of these obligations as of both March 31,  2019, and December 31, 2018 was $0. We entered into these contingent guarantees in the normal course of business, and they include guaranteed obligations related to our affiliated operations. The final guarantee expires in 2022. We are not aware of any existing event of default that would require us to satisfy these guarantees. We do not expect that these guarantees will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.



Indemnities – We are contingently obligated under a variety of indemnification arrangements, although in some cases the extent of our potential liability is limited, depending on the nature of the transactions and the agreements. Due to uncertainty as to whether claims will be made or how they will be resolved, we cannot reasonably determine the probability of an adverse claim or reasonably estimate any adverse liability or the total maximum exposure under these indemnification arrangements. We do not have any reason to believe that we will be required to make any material payments under these indemnity provisions.



Gain Contingency –  UPRR filed multiple claims with the IRS for refunds of Railroad Retirement Taxes paid on (i) certain stock awards to its employees and (ii) certain bonus payments it made to labor agreement employees during the years 1991-2017. The IRS denied UPRR’s claims for 1991 – 2007 (employment tax refund).  UPRR filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska (the District Court) for the employment tax refund and in 2016 the District Court denied the refund claim. UPRR appealed this denial to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit (8th Circuit) and the 8th Circuit ruled in favor of UPRR and remanded the case to the District Court. The IRS appealed the 8th Circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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In June 2018, a similar case for another railroad was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court against the IRS and in favor of that railroad (Wisconsin Central LTD., Et. Al. v. U.S.). As a result, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the IRS request to appeal the 8th Circuit ruling. On November 28, 2018 the District Court issued an order granting summary judgment to UPRR pursuant to the mandate of the 8th Circuit. UPRR, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the IRS subsequently agreed upon the tax refund amounts owed UPRR and its employees for all claims. On February 12, 2019, UPRR received a partial final judgment from the District Court for the employment tax refund.  As a result, in the first quarter of 2019 UPRR recognized an employer refund of $42 million as a reduction of compensation and benefit expenses and approximately $27 million of interest in other income.



UPRR’s refund claims for 2008 – 2017 are pending with the IRS, and we expect IRS approval of these claims in 2019.  These claims are considered gain contingencies and no refund amounts have been recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements as of March 31, 2019.  These claims will be recognized when UPRR receives final approval from the IRS allowing the refunds.  When recognized, UPRR will reduce compensation and benefit expenses by $36 million and record approximately $3 million of interest in other income.



18. Share Repurchase Programs



On February 7, 2019, the Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase authorization, enabling the Company to buy up to 150 million of its common shares by March 31, 2022. The new authorization is effective April 1, 2019, and replaces the previous authorization of up to 120 million shares, which expired on March 31, 2019. As of March 31, 2019, we repurchased a total of $34.4 billion of our common stock since commencement of our repurchase programs in 2007. The following table represents shares repurchased in the first quarter of 2019 and 2018: