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. Union Pacific Corporation was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Union Pacific Corporation

Investors in Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) saw new options become available today, for the February 2026 expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the UNP options chain for the new February 2026 contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $205.00 strike price has a current bid of 50 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $205.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $204.50 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of UNP, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $234.63/share today.
Because the $205.00 strike represents an approximate 13% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 88%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.24% return on the cash commitment, or 2.02% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Union Pacific Corp, and highlighting in green where the $205.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $240.00 strike price has a current bid of $3.10. If an investor was to purchase shares of UNP stock at the current price level of $234.63/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $240.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 3.61% if the stock gets called away at the February 2026 expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if UNP shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Union Pacific Corp, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing UNP's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $240.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $240.00 strike represents an approximate 2% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 60%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 1.32% boost of extra return to the investor, or 10.96% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 34%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 22%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $234.63) to be 22%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Institutional Holders of NBGX
Institutional Holders of ARX
OCC Past Earnings
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

UNP February 2026 Options Begin Trading

(RTTNews) - Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) and Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) announced that they have filed a joint application with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) seeking approval to merge and create America's first transcontinental railroad. The companies entered into a merger agreement on July 29, 2025, and the nearly 7,000-page filing outlines how the combination would enhance competition and deliver broad public benefits.
The application includes a record-breaking 2,000 letters of support from stakeholders, alongside shareholder votes at both companies that were 99% in favor of the merger. According to Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, the merger would connect the United States from coast to coast, transforming 10,000 existing lanes from interline service into faster, more efficient single-line service. The companies project that this would eliminate 2,400 rail car and container handlings and 60,000 car-miles each day.
The railroads emphasized that competitive shipping alternatives would remain available, with only three customer locations out of more than 20,000 affected. They also highlighted expected benefits such as converting 2 million truckloads of freight from road to rail annually, protecting all union jobs, and creating approximately 900 net new union positions by the third year following the merger. Additional commitments include maintaining open gateways, introducing Committed Gateway Pricing to streamline interline moves, and investing an estimated $2.1 billion in incremental capital to support synergies, with $133 million in annual capital savings anticipated.
In a separate statement, Canadian National Railway Co strongly opposed the merger, arguing that the application fails to demonstrate how the deal would enhance competition or generate significant public benefits. CN said the filing falls short of both the 2001 and earlier merger rules set by the STB.
CN confirmed it will actively participate in the STB review process and encouraged all stakeholders to engage to ensure that competition is preserved and enhanced.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Union Pacific And Norfolk Southern Seek STB Approval For Merger; CN Warns Of Competition Risks

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLI) where we have detected an approximate $432.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.7% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 161,376,000 to 164,176,000). Among the largest underlying components of XLI, in trading today RTX Corp (Symbol: RTX) is up about 1.6%, Boeing Co. (Symbol: BA) is up about 2.5%, and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is lower by about 0.9%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the XLI Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of XLI, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, XLI's low point in its 52 week range is $112.75 per share, with $158.46 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $155.25. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
Auto Dealerships Dividend Stocks
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding PCI
Institutional Holders of GEMP
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable ETF Inflow Detected - XLI, RTX, BA, UNP

Investors in Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) saw new options begin trading today, for the August 2026 expiration. One of the key data points that goes into the price an option buyer is willing to pay, is the time value, so with 246 days until expiration the newly trading contracts represent a possible opportunity for sellers of puts or calls to achieve a higher premium than would be available for the contracts with a closer expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the UNP options chain for the new August 2026 contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $145.00 strike price has a current bid of 50 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $145.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $144.50 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of UNP, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $236.34/share today.
Because the $145.00 strike represents an approximate 39% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 97%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.34% return on the cash commitment, or 0.51% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Union Pacific Corp, and highlighting in green where the $145.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $245.00 strike price has a current bid of $13.50. If an investor was to purchase shares of UNP stock at the current price level of $236.34/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $245.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 9.38% if the stock gets called away at the August 2026 expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if UNP shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Union Pacific Corp, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing UNP's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $245.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $245.00 strike represents an approximate 4% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 51%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 5.71% boost of extra return to the investor, or 8.48% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 34%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 23%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $236.34) to be 22%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Highest Yield Preferreds
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding APFH
MBUU market cap history
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

August 2026 Options Now Available For Union Pacific (UNP)

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLI) where we have detected an approximate $538.4 million dollar inflow -- that's a 2.2% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 157,926,000 to 161,376,000). Among the largest underlying components of XLI, in trading today Boeing Co. (Symbol: BA) is up about 1.2%, Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is down about 1.1%, and Deere & Co. (Symbol: DE) is up by about 1.8%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the XLI Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of XLI, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, XLI's low point in its 52 week range is $112.75 per share, with $156.985 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $156.84. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding ELEC
Institutional Holders of MCGC
GLOG Options Chain
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy ETF Inflows: XLI, BA, UNP, DE

Investors in Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) saw new options become available today, for the January 2026 expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the UNP options chain for the new January 2026 contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $210.00 strike price has a current bid of 50 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $210.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $209.50 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of UNP, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $233.43/share today.
Because the $210.00 strike represents an approximate 10% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 86%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.24% return on the cash commitment, or 1.74% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Union Pacific Corp, and highlighting in green where the $210.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $235.00 strike price has a current bid of $6.10. If an investor was to purchase shares of UNP stock at the current price level of $233.43/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $235.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 3.29% if the stock gets called away at the January 2026 expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if UNP shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Union Pacific Corp, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing UNP's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $235.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $235.00 strike represents an approximate 1% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 50%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 2.61% boost of extra return to the investor, or 19.08% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 29%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 24%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $233.43) to be 22%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
TECH Options Chain
MTZ Average Annual Return
Funds Holding PMMF
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

UNP January 2026 Options Begin Trading

From Wall Street to warehouses, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool and is being integrated in all major sectors across the global economy. The transportation sector is no exception, with GDP from the U.S. Transportation and Warehousing amounting to a solid $744 billion in the second quarter of 2025 (as per Trading Economics data).
Looking back at the sector’s performance this year reveals that it has gradually transformed from a slow-growth, defensive corner of the market into a dynamic field for innovation, driven not only by electric vehicles but by a comprehensive, AI-powered overhaul of its entire operational DNA.
This technological overhaul is visibly improving the sector's performance, which calls for investor attention to key transportation Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), which have actually delivered better performance than last year.
But before delving deep into these ETFs, let us try to analyze how AI is transforming the transportation sector and, by extension, has been driving the performance of transportation ETFs.
The AI Revolution in Transportation: Beyond Self-Driving Cars
Beyond the well-known application in electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving, AI has penetrated the logistics arteries of the industry. Companies are leveraging AI to navigate severe challenges, including driver shortages, rising operational costs and persistent supply chain disruptions.
This is done by implementing warehousing, optimizing shipping routes to minimize fuel consumption and implementing predictive maintenance for entire vehicle fleets.
In addition to these, AI is also contributing with remotely-operated drones infused with AI coding, which are helping to deliver vital medical supplies to some of the remotest regions. For example, U.S.-based drone start-up Zipline operates the world's first commercial blood donation system in Rwanda, providing life-giving blood and plasma where conventional logistical processes cannot reach (as per a report by Statista).
Such data-driven transformation is attracting significant investor interest, translating into a promising performance boost for the entire sector.
The Case for ETFs: Profiting from Smart Transportation
The aforementioned operational transformation is creating substantial profitability for companies that are enabling and adopting these technologies. The investment opportunity thus extends beyond traditional trucking and logistics firms to encompass a new ecosystem of "smart transportation."
This ecosystem includes not only traditional transportation companies like Union Pacific UNP but also those developing foundational technologies. These include technology giants like NVIDIA NVDA and Taiwan Semiconductor TSM, which provide the essential computing power and chips, alongside automotive innovators.
Another example is Lumentum LITE, which produces high-performance industrial lasers used in the precision manufacturing of products with exacting standards, including automobiles and semiconductor chips.
This direct link between AI integration, improved corporate fundamentals and investor returns shines a spotlight on transportation ETFs as a strategic vehicle to capture this sector-wide growth.
ETFs Rallying on This AI-Driven Ascent
As we approach the end of 2025, investors seeking exposure to the aforementioned growth trend may tap into the strength through the following ETFs.
iShares U.S. Transportation ETF IYT
This fund, with assets worth $870.5 million, offers exposure to 44 U.S. airline, railroad, and trucking companies. Its top three holdings are Uber Technologies (20.16%), UNP (15.86%) and United Parcel (7.54%).
IYT rose 4.1% in 2024 and has gained 12.6% year to date. The fund charges 38 basis points (bps) as fees.
State Street SPDR S&P Kensho Smart Mobility ETF HAIL
This fund, with assets under management (AUM) worth $21.6 million, offers exposure to 79 companies whose products and services are driving innovation behind smart transportation. Its top three holdings are Lumentum (3.25%), Garett Motion (2.23%) and Ballard Power (2.16%).
HAIL lost 7% in 2024 but has surged 23.5% year to date. The fund charges 45 bps as fees.
SmartETFs Smart Transportation & Technology ETF MOTO
This fund provides exposure to companies involved in the manufacturing, development, distribution, and servicing of autonomous or electric vehicles. Its top five holdings are Amphenol (7.09%), Alphabet (5.99%), TSM (5.73%), Quanta Services (5.14%) and NVDA (4.97%).
MOTO gained 2% in 2024 and has soared 28.2% year to date. The fund charges 102 bps as fees.
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iShares U.S. Transportation ETF (IYT): ETF Research Reports
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Transportation ETFs Move Into Top Gear With AI in the Driving Seat

The NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator is up 105.71 to 25,124.07. The total Pre-Market volume is currently 100,298,728 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the pre-market session:
Amber International Holding Limited (AMBR) is +0.83 at $2.41, with 16,615,184 shares traded.
Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL) is +0.47 at $18.11, with 8,492,643 shares traded. This represents a 187.92% increase from its 52 Week Low.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is +0.31 at $178.13, with 5,799,033 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 9 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Jan 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $1.42. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is +0.15 at $52.63, with 3,790,961 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Jun 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $1.09. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for BAC is in the "buy range".
ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) is +0.7397 at $52.75, with 3,496,071 shares traded. This represents a 201.43% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) is +2.81 at $326.25, with 2,237,720 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 10 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $2.58. , following a 52-week high recorded in prior regular session.
iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) is -0.09 at $22.04, with 2,067,618 shares traded. This represents a 100.55% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Chevron Corporation (CVX) is +0.27 at $148.80, with 1,562,787 shares traded. CVX's current last sale is 85.03% of the target price of $175.
Oracle Corporation (ORCL) is +8.1728 at $205.20, with 1,259,050 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for ORCL is in the "buy range".
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) is +1.7 at $48.76, with 1,160,907 shares traded. NVO's current last sale is 97.52% of the target price of $50.
Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) is +0.38 at $229.51, with 807,051 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for UNP is in the "buy range".
Snap Inc. (SNAP) is +0.03 at $7.67, with 786,266 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Mar 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $-0.08. SNAP's current last sale is 80.74% of the target price of $9.5.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Pre-Market Most Active for Nov 26, 2025 : AMBR, TSLL, NVDA, BAC, TQQQ, GOOGL, ETHA, CVX, ORCL, NVO, UNP, SNAP

The Zacks Transportation - Rail industry faces challenges, ranging from tariff-induced economic uncertainties, inflationary pressures and resultant high interest rates to concerns pertaining to supply-chain disruptions.
Despite the challenges surrounding the industry, Union Pacific Corporation UNP and CSX Corporation CSX appear better placed to tide over the challenges. Declining fuel costs represent a tailwind as far as bottom-line growth is concerned.
Industry Description
The Zacks Transportation - Rail industry includes railroad operators transporting freight (such as agricultural products, industrial products, coal, intermodal, automotive, consumer products, metals and minerals), primarily across North America. These companies focus on providing logistics and supply-chain expertise services. While freight constitutes a significant chunk of revenues, some of these companies also derive a small portion of their top line from other rail-related services, including third-party railcar and locomotive repairs, routine land sales and container sales, among others. A few companies offer service to multiple production and distribution facilities. Besides locomotives, some of these companies own equipment of leased locomotives, railcars, etc.
Factors Deciding the Industry's Outlook
Strong Financial Returns for Shareholders:With economic activities gaining pace from the pandemic lows, more and more companies are allocating their increasing cash pile through dividends and buybacks to pacify long-suffering shareholders. This underlines their financial strength and confidence in the business. Among the Transportation – Railroad industry players, CSX announced an 8.3% increase in the quarterly dividend in February 2025, and Union Pacific approved a dividend hike of 3%, thereby raising its quarterly cash dividend to $1.38 per share ($5.52 annualized) from $1.34 ($5.36 annualized) in July 2025.
Decline in Oil Price is a Tailwind: The decline in expenses on fuel represents another tailwind for the industry. Notably, oil prices declined almost 20% from the beginning of 2025 to date. As fuel expenses represent a key input cost for any transportation player, a fall in oil prices bodes well for the bottom-line growth of railroad stocks.
Economic Uncertainty Continues With Tariff Turmoil: The current administration is focused on protectionism that restricts international trade to help domestic industries. The U.S. administration’s tariff policies are reshaping the transportation service industry by increasing costs, disrupting supply chains and influencing consumer behavior. The tariff turmoil is hurting global trade. Tariff-induced economic uncertainties and trade tensions may create uncertainty for investors interested in the industry.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Gloomy Prospects
The Zacks Transportation Railroad industry, housed within the broader Zacks Transportation sector, currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #211. This rank places it in the bottom 13% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
The sell-side analysts covering the companies in this industry have been decreasing their estimates. Over the past year, the industry’s consensus earnings estimate for the current year has decreased 7.9%.
Before we present a few stocks that investors can retain, given their growth prospects, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and current valuation.
Industry Lags S&P 500, Outperforms Sector
The Zacks Transportation - Rail industry has underperformed the Zacks S&P 500 Composite index while outperformed the broader sector over the past year.
Over this period, the industry has declined 8.3% against the S&P 500 Index’s northward movement of 12.9%. The broader sector has declined 15.5%.
One-Year Price Performance
Industry's Current Valuation
Based on the trailing 12-month price-to-book (P/B), a commonly used multiple for valuing railroad stocks, the industry is currently trading at 5.82X compared with the S&P 500’s 8.19X. It is above the sector’s P/B ratio of 3.12X.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 10.92X, as low as 5.28X and at the median of 7.07X.
2 Stocks to Keep an Eye On
We are presenting two Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stocks that are well-positioned to grow in the near term. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Union Pacific: Headquartered in Omaha, NE, Union Pacific, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States.
Relatively stable ecommerce demand, cost-cutting efforts to boost the bottom line and consistent initiatives to reward its shareholders through dividend payments and share repurchases bode well for UNP’s prospects. Further, UNP has a stellar track record with respect to earnings surprises. The company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the past four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter), with an average beat of 2.86%.
Price and Consensus: UNP
CSX: Based in Jacksonville, FL, CSX offers rail-based freight transportation services like traditional rail service, transport of intermodal containers and trailers apart from rail-to-truck transfers.
For 2025, CSX still expects total volume growth. The company will continue to focus on operational excellence, labor productivity and efficiency initiatives. Capital expenditures are expected to be $2.5 billion this year, excluding hurricane rebuild spending. The company's focus on improving workplace safety for employees is commendable. CSX’s strong balance sheet enables the company to reward shareholders with dividends and share repurchases.
CSX has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the past four quarters.
Price and Consensus: CSX
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include
Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip
Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market
Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth
Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

2 Railroad Stocks to Watch From the Challenging Industry

The Board of Directors of Union Pacific has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share on the company's common stock, payable Dec. 30, 2025, to shareholders of record Dec. 5, 2025. Union Pacific has paid dividends on its common stock for 126 consecutive years.
Motorola Solutions today announced that its board of directors has increased its regular quarterly dividend by 11 percent to $1.21 per share. The next quarterly dividend will be payable in cash on January 15, 2026 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 15, 2025.
The Board of Directors of McCormick today declared an increase in the quarterly dividend from $0.45 to $0.48 per share on its common stocks, payable January 12, 2026, to shareholders of record December 29, 2025. This marks the Company's 102nd year of continuous dividend payments and the 40th consecutive year it has increased its quarterly dividend. McCormick has paid dividends each year since 1925 and is recognized as a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index.
Clorox announced today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.24 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable Feb. 13, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Jan. 28, 2026.
BlackRock today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $5.21 per share of common stock, payable December 23, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 5, 2025.
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