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Union Pacific Corp. (UNP)
Analysis of Property, Plant and Equipment
Difficulty: Advanced
Property, Plant and Equipment Accounting Policy
Properties and equipment are carried at cost and are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated service lives, which are measured in years, except for rail in high-density traffic corridors (i.e., all rail lines except for those subject to abandonment, and yard and switching tracks), for which lives are measured in millions of gross tons per mile of track. UPC uses the group method of depreciation in which all items with similar characteristics, use, and expected lives are grouped together in asset classes, and are depreciated using composite depreciation rates. The group method of depreciation treats each asset class as a pool of resources, not as singular items. UPC determines the estimated service lives of depreciable railroad assets by means of depreciation studies. Under the group method of depreciation, no gain or loss is recognized when depreciable property is retired or replaced in the ordinary course of business.
Source: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08).
Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure
Union Pacific Corp., balance sheet: property, plant and equipment
US$ in millions
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | |||||||
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| Land | |
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| Rail and other track material | |
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| Ties | |
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| Ballast | |
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| Other roadway | |
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| Road | |
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| Locomotives | |
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| Freight cars | |
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| Work equipment and other | |
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| Equipment | |
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| Technology and other | |
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| Construction in progress | |
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| Properties, cost | |
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| Accumulated depreciation | |
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| Properties, net book value | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-09), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-05), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-06).
| Item | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Properties, cost | Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. | Union Pacific Corp.’s properties, cost increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
| Properties, net book value | Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. | Union Pacific Corp.’s properties, net book value increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios (Summary)
Union Pacific Corp., Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Average age | |
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| Estimated total useful life (years) | |
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| Estimated age, time elapsed since purchase (years) | |
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| Estimated remaining life (years) | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-09), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-05), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-06).
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Average age | As long as straight-line depreciation is used, this is an accurate estimate of asset age as a percentage of depreciable life. The relative age is a useful measure of whether the company’s fixed asset base is old or new. Newer assets are likely to be more efficient. | Union Pacific Corp.’s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
| Estimated total useful life | Over longer time periods, this ratio is a useful measure of company’s depreciation policy and can be used for comparisons with competitors. | Union Pacific Corp.’s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
| Estimated time elapsed since purchase | The approximate age in years of a company’s fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes. | Union Pacific Corp.’s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2016 to 2017 but then deteriorated significantly from 2017 to 2018. |
| Estimated remaining life | Union Pacific Corp.’s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Average Age
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | |
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| Properties, cost | |
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| Land | |
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| Ratio | ||||||
| Average age1 | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-09), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-05), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-06).
2018 Calculations
1 Average age = 100 × Accumulated depreciation ÷ (Properties, cost – Land)
= 100 × ÷ ( – ) =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Average age | As long as straight-line depreciation is used, this is an accurate estimate of asset age as a percentage of depreciable life. The relative age is a useful measure of whether the company’s fixed asset base is old or new. Newer assets are likely to be more efficient. | Union Pacific Corp.’s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Estimated Total Useful Life
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Properties, cost | |
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| Land | |
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| Depreciation expense | |
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| Ratio | ||||||
| Estimated total useful life (years)1 | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-09), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-05), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-06).
2018 Calculations
1 Estimated total useful life (years) = (Properties, cost – Land) ÷ Depreciation expense
= ( – ) ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated total useful life | Over longer time periods, this ratio is a useful measure of company’s depreciation policy and can be used for comparisons with competitors. | Union Pacific Corp.’s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Estimated Age, Time Elapsed since Purchase
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | |
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| Depreciation expense | |
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| Time elapsed since purchase (years)1 | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-09), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-05), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-06).
2018 Calculations
1 Time elapsed since purchase (years) = Accumulated depreciation ÷ Depreciation expense
= ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated time elapsed since purchase | The approximate age in years of a company’s fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes. | Union Pacific Corp.’s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2016 to 2017 but then deteriorated significantly from 2017 to 2018. |
Estimated Remaining Life
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Properties, net book value | |
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| Land | |
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| Depreciation expense | |
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| Ratio | ||||||
| Estimated remaining life (years)1 | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-08), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-09), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-05), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-06).
2018 Calculations
1 Estimated remaining life (years) = (Properties, net book value – Land) ÷ Depreciation expense
= ( – ) ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated remaining life | Union Pacific Corp.’s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |