DAL vs. UNP: Delta Air Lines vs. Union Pacific Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but DAL is classified in Passenger Airlines while UNP is classified in Ground Transportation.

Company profile comparison for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Profile Item	DAL	UNP
Name	Delta Air Lines, Inc.	Union Pacific Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Transportation	Transportation
GICS Industry	Passenger Airlines	Ground Transportation
GICS Sub-Industry	Passenger Airlines	Rail Transportation
Market Capitalization	57.37 billion USD	172.38 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	May 3, 2007	January 2, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DAL

UNP

GSPC

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
Total Return (1Y)	56.32%	36.74%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	41.15%	14.66%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	16.27%	6.62%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DAL

UNP

GSPC

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	39.27%	23.12%
Beta (5Y)	1.37	0.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-47.92%	-31.83%
Avg. Volume (3M)	6.42M	2.49M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

DAL and UNP are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.33	1.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.19	2.22

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 38.75% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 15.91% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UNP.

DAL

Transportation industry group

15.91%

Max: 45.08%
Q3: 22.02%
DAL: 15.91%
Median: 13.94%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -10.45%

UNP

Transportation industry group

38.75%

Max: 45.08%
UNP: 38.75%
Q3: 22.02%
Median: 13.94%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -10.45%

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 28.90% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 4.58%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

DAL

Transportation industry group

4.58%

Max: 50.36%
Q3: 21.18%
Median: 5.58%
DAL: 4.58%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -11.37%

UNP

Transportation industry group

28.90%

Max: 50.36%
UNP: 28.90%
Q3: 21.18%
Median: 5.58%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -11.37%

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 41.34% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 7.22%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

DAL

Transportation industry group

7.22%

Max: 59.18%
Q3: 29.30%
Median: 11.50%
DAL: 7.22%
Q1: 4.62%
Min: -8.91%

UNP

Transportation industry group

41.34%

Max: 59.18%
UNP: 41.34%
Q3: 29.30%
Median: 11.50%
Q1: 4.62%
Min: -8.91%

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
ROE (TTM)	15.91%	38.75%
ROA (TTM)	3.95%	9.51%
Net Margin (TTM)	4.58%	28.90%
Operating Margin (TTM)	7.22%	41.34%
Gross Margin (TTM)	17.90%	55.77%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 2.79% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.07% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 43.71% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 8.03% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for DAL.

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.79%	1.07%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	7.80%	-0.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)	43.71%	8.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	54.92%	2.24%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.16 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.40 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for DAL.

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.40

Max: 2.58
Q3: 1.62
Median: 1.16
Q1: 0.78
DAL: 0.40
Min: 0.22

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.16

Max: 2.58
Q3: 1.62
Median: 1.16
UNP: 1.16
Q1: 0.78
Min: 0.22

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.89 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.41 uses more debt funding than most peers.

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.89

Max: 2.75
Q3: 1.37
DAL: 0.89
Median: 0.78
Q1: 0.35
Min: 0.00

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.41

Max: 2.75
UNP: 1.41
Q3: 1.37
Median: 0.78
Q1: 0.35
Min: 0.00

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.40	1.16
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.89	1.41
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.15	2.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.94% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.87% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.94%

Max: 4.68%
Q3: 1.99%
DAL: 0.94%
Median: 0.74%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.87%

Max: 4.68%
Q3: 1.99%
UNP: 1.87%
Median: 0.74%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 15.52% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 43.37% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

DAL

Transportation industry group

15.52%

Max: 100.89%
Q3: 41.68%
Median: 20.43%
DAL: 15.52%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UNP

Transportation industry group

43.37%

Max: 100.89%
UNP: 43.37%
Q3: 41.68%
Median: 20.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.94%	1.87%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	15.52%	43.37%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 17.41 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 22.63 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

DAL

Transportation industry group

17.41

Max: 46.76
Q3: 30.87
Median: 20.58
DAL: 17.41
Q1: 10.44
Min: 0.00

UNP

Transportation industry group

22.63

Max: 46.76
Q3: 30.87
UNP: 22.63
Median: 20.58
Q1: 10.44
Min: 0.00

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.80 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 6.54 clears its benchmark range — UNP looks notably rich on sales.

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.80

Max: 4.35
Q3: 2.07
Median: 0.93
DAL: 0.80
Q1: 0.53
Min: 0.04

UNP

Transportation industry group

6.54

UNP: 6.54
Max: 4.35
Q3: 2.07
Median: 0.93
Q1: 0.53
Min: 0.04

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 2.53 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 7.83 prices above its benchmark range — UNP looks rich relative to book.

DAL

Transportation industry group

2.53

Max: 6.29
Q3: 3.39
DAL: 2.53
Median: 1.90
Q1: 1.03
Min: -2.07

UNP

Transportation industry group

7.83

UNP: 7.83
Max: 6.29
Q3: 3.39
Median: 1.90
Q1: 1.03
Min: -2.07

Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	DAL	UNP
P/E Ratio (TTM)	17.41	22.63
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.80	6.54
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.53	7.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.34%	2.94%