JBHT vs. UNP: J.B. Hunt Transport Services vs. Union Pacific Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) 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

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP) both belong to the Ground Transportation industry, though JBHT is classified under Cargo Ground Transportation while UNP falls under Rail Transportation.

Company profile comparison for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Profile Item	JBHT	UNP
Name	J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.	Union Pacific Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Transportation	Transportation
GICS Industry	Ground Transportation	Ground Transportation
GICS Sub-Industry	Cargo Ground Transportation	Rail Transportation
Market Capitalization	20.28 billion USD	172.38 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	November 22, 1983	January 2, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

JBHT

UNP

GSPC

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) 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 J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
Total Return (1Y)	32.27%	36.74%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	10.37%	14.66%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	3.78%	6.62%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

JBHT

UNP

GSPC

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) 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 J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.65%	23.12%
Beta (5Y)	1.25	0.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-42.42%	-31.83%
Avg. Volume (3M)	976.33K	2.49M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

JBHT 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 J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.81	1.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.15	2.22

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 38.75% sits in the top ROE quartile, while J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 18.77% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UNP.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

18.77%

Max: 45.08%
Q3: 22.02%
JBHT: 18.77%
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%

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) 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 J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 5.07%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

5.07%

Max: 50.36%
Q3: 21.18%
Median: 5.58%
JBHT: 5.07%
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%

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) 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 J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 6.72%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

6.72%

Max: 59.18%
Q3: 29.30%
Median: 11.50%
JBHT: 6.72%
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%

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
ROE (TTM)	18.77%	38.75%
ROA (TTM)	7.41%	9.51%
Net Margin (TTM)	5.07%	28.90%
Operating Margin (TTM)	6.72%	41.34%
Gross Margin (TTM)	17.88%	55.77%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at -0.73% 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.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 10.07% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 8.03% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-0.73%	1.07%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-6.78%	-0.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)	10.07%	8.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-12.74%	2.24%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 1.23 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.16 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

1.23

Max: 2.58
Q3: 1.62
JBHT: 1.23
Median: 1.16
Q1: 0.78
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

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 0.40 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.41 uses more debt funding than most peers.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

0.40

Max: 2.75
Q3: 1.37
Median: 0.78
JBHT: 0.40
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

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) 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 J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.23	1.16
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.40	1.41
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.86	2.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 0.82% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.87% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

0.82%

Max: 4.68%
Q3: 1.99%
JBHT: 0.82%
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%

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 25.25% 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.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

25.25%

Max: 100.89%
Q3: 41.68%
JBHT: 25.25%
Median: 20.43%
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%

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.82%	1.87%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	25.25%	43.37%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 30.68 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.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

30.68

Max: 46.76
Q3: 30.87
JBHT: 30.68
Median: 20.58
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

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 1.52 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.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

1.52

Max: 4.35
Q3: 2.07
JBHT: 1.52
Median: 0.93
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

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) at 5.58 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Union Pacific (UNP) at 7.83 prices even higher, above its industry range.

JBHT

Transportation industry group

5.58

Max: 6.29
JBHT: 5.58
Q3: 3.39
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

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Metric	JBHT	UNP
P/E Ratio (TTM)	30.68	22.63
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.52	6.54
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	5.58	7.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.15%	2.94%