Union Pacific reported Thursday that its adjusted profit grew to $1.8 billion in the second quarter as merger rumors to swirl around the nation’s largest railroad.

The Omaha, Nebraska, per-share earnings rose rose to $3.03, beating Wall Street expectations and easily topping the $2.71 per-share profit it reported in the same period last year. Analysts were expecting profit of $2.91 per share for the recent quarter.

Operating revenue grew 2% over last year, to $6.2 billion, the company said.

Sources told The Associated Press last week that Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are in merger talks that would create the a railroad in North America that essentially connects the East and West Coasts.

Neither company has commented on the negotiations.

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A trainee at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, March 7, 2025. Norfolk Southern and its Midwestern and Western counterpart, Union Pacific, on Thursday confirmed they are in "advanced discussions" about a possible merger. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com