GRAB vs. UAL: Grab vs. United Airlines Stock Comparison
How do Grab (GRAB) and United Airlines (UAL) 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
Grab (GRAB) and United Airlines (UAL) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but GRAB is classified in Ground Transportation while UAL is classified in Passenger Airlines.
United Airlines (UAL) has more than two decades of public-market history since February 6, 2006, whereas Grab (GRAB) listed on December 1, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Grab Holdings Ltd. Class A | United Airlines Holdings, Inc. |
| Country/Region | Singapore | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry Group | Transportation | Transportation |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Passenger Airlines |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Passenger Ground Transportation | Passenger Airlines |
| Market Capitalization | 13.77 billion USD | 36.63 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | December 1, 2020 | February 6, 2006 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -38.94% | 22.35% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 1.05% | 47.27% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -26.29% | 17.68% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 39.77% | 48.88% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.74 | 1.32 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -86.46% | -49.19% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 61.91M | 4.24M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -1.09 | 0.37 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -1.55 | 0.59 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) at 22.31% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Grab (GRAB) at 7.64% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UAL.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
7.64%
- Max
- 45.08%
- Q3
- 22.02%
- Median
- 13.94%
- GRAB
- 7.64%
- Q1
- 2.89%
- Min
- -10.45%
UAL
Transportation industry group
22.31%
- Max
- 45.08%
- UAL
- 22.31%
- Q3
- 22.02%
- Median
- 13.94%
- Q1
- 2.89%
- Min
- -10.45%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Grab (GRAB) at 14.79% and United Airlines (UAL) at 5.46% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
14.79%
- Max
- 50.36%
- Q3
- 21.18%
- GRAB
- 14.79%
- Median
- 5.58%
- Q1
- 1.55%
- Min
- -11.37%
UAL
Transportation industry group
5.46%
- Max
- 50.36%
- Q3
- 21.18%
- Median
- 5.58%
- UAL
- 5.46%
- Q1
- 1.55%
- Min
- -11.37%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Grab (GRAB) at 10.07% and United Airlines (UAL) at 7.03% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
10.07%
- Max
- 59.18%
- Q3
- 29.30%
- Median
- 11.50%
- GRAB
- 10.07%
- Q1
- 4.62%
- Min
- -8.91%
UAL
Transportation industry group
7.03%
- Max
- 59.18%
- Q3
- 29.30%
- Median
- 11.50%
- UAL
- 7.03%
- Q1
- 4.62%
- Min
- -8.91%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 7.64% | 22.31% |
| ROA (TTM) | 1.08% | 3.31% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 14.79% | 5.46% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 10.07% | 7.03% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 41.44% | 30.87% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Grab (GRAB) at 20.49% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while United Airlines (UAL) at 3.52% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GRAB.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: United Airlines (UAL) reports EPS growth of 7.94%, ranked against its industry; Grab (GRAB) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 20.49% | 3.52% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 32.98% | 9.53% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | 7.94% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | 66.00% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Grab (GRAB) at 1.38 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while United Airlines (UAL) at 0.75 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for UAL.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
1.38
- Max
- 2.58
- Q3
- 1.62
- GRAB
- 1.38
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.22
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.75
- Max
- 2.58
- Q3
- 1.62
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.78
- UAL
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.22
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Grab (GRAB) at 0.29 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while United Airlines (UAL) at 1.93 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
0.29
- Max
- 2.75
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 0.78
- Q1
- 0.35
- GRAB
- 0.29
- Min
- 0.00
UAL
Transportation industry group
1.93
- Max
- 2.75
- UAL
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 0.78
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.38 | 0.75 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.29 | 1.93 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -8.58 | 2.79 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Grab (GRAB) nor United Airlines (UAL) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 4.68%
- Q3
- 1.99%
- Median
- 0.74%
- GRAB
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 4.68%
- Q3
- 1.99%
- Median
- 0.74%
- UAL
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Grab (GRAB) nor United Airlines (UAL) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 100.89%
- Q3
- 41.68%
- Median
- 20.43%
- GRAB
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 100.89%
- Q3
- 41.68%
- Median
- 20.43%
- UAL
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) at 10.32 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Grab (GRAB) at 34.10 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
34.10
- Max
- 46.76
- GRAB
- 34.10
- Q3
- 30.87
- Median
- 20.58
- Q1
- 10.44
- Min
- 0.00
UAL
Transportation industry group
10.32
- Max
- 46.76
- Q3
- 30.87
- Median
- 20.58
- Q1
- 10.44
- UAL
- 10.32
- Min
- 0.00
P/S Ratio (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) at 0.56 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Grab (GRAB) at 3.47 sits in the pricier quartile — GRAB costs more per dollar of sales.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
3.47
- Max
- 4.35
- GRAB
- 3.47
- Q3
- 2.07
- Median
- 0.93
- Q1
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.04
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.56
- Max
- 4.35
- Q3
- 2.07
- Median
- 0.93
- UAL
- 0.56
- Q1
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Grab (GRAB) at 2.04 and United Airlines (UAL) at 2.06 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
GRAB
Transportation industry group
2.04
- Max
- 6.29
- Q3
- 3.39
- GRAB
- 2.04
- Median
- 1.90
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- -2.07
UAL
Transportation industry group
2.06
- Max
- 6.29
- Q3
- 3.39
- UAL
- 2.06
- Median
- 1.90
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- -2.07
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | GRAB | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 34.10 | 10.32 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.47 | 0.56 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.04 | 2.06 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 5.71% | -1.57% |