LTM vs. ZTO: LATAM Airlines vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) Stock Comparison

Company Profile

LATAM Airlines (LTM) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but LTM is classified in Passenger Airlines while ZTO is classified in Air Freight & Logistics.

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) has been public since October 27, 2016, giving it a longer listed trading history, while LATAM Airlines (LTM) listed on July 25, 2024 and still has a shorter public-market record.

Both LATAM Airlines (LTM) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) trade as ADRs — their core financials are comparable, but keep FX, depositary-program fees, and dividend withholding in view for each.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) reports a negative beta of -0.18, suggesting inverse market sensitivity over the measurement window. That is uncommon for ordinary equities and can reflect commodity-linked or hedge-like exposure, but it can also come from statistical noise. LATAM Airlines (LTM) has a non-negative beta of 0.64.

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 98.02% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 16.28%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Both LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 9.82% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 19.04% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

Both LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 13.14% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 22.19% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Both LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 11.16% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 10.88% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.

LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 53.28% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 4.58% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for LTM.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 1.67 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 0.68 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 0.35 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 4.18 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 0.00% pays an industry-typical yield; ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 12.89% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

Both LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 27.08% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 38.36% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 8.44 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 11.37 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for LTM, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 0.29 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 0.82 prices around its industry’s middle — ZTO costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 1.66 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while LATAM Airlines (LTM) at 5.96 carries an above-peer premium to book — LTM is pricier on assets.

Valuation Metrics