Seek Returns

UAL vs. UPS: United Airlines vs. United Parcel Service Stock Comparison

How do United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS) 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

United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but UAL is classified in Passenger Airlines while UPS is classified in Air Freight & Logistics.

Company profile comparison for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
Profile ItemUALUPS
NameUnited Airlines Holdings, Inc.United Parcel Service, Inc. Class B Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryPassenger AirlinesAir Freight & Logistics
GICS Sub-IndustryPassenger AirlinesAir Freight & Logistics
Market Capitalization36.63 billion USD92.21 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateFebruary 6, 2006November 10, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

UAL
UPS
GSPC
Loading price history…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
Total Return (1Y)22.35%23.57%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)47.27%-1.91%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)17.68%-7.66%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

UAL
UPS
GSPC
Loading price history…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)48.88%29.76%
Beta (5Y)1.320.95
Max Drawdown (5Y)-49.19%-57.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.24M4.77M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
UAL and UPS 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 United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.370.65
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.590.89

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both United Airlines (UAL) at 22.31% and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 28.65% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

UAL

Transportation industry group

22.31%

Max
45.08%
UAL
22.31%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%

UPS

Transportation industry group

28.65%

Max
45.08%
UPS
28.65%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both United Airlines (UAL) at 5.46% and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 4.84% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

UAL

Transportation industry group

5.46%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
UAL
5.46%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%

UPS

Transportation industry group

4.84%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
UPS
4.84%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both United Airlines (UAL) at 7.03% and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 9.28% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

UAL

Transportation industry group

7.03%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
UAL
7.03%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%

UPS

Transportation industry group

9.28%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
UPS
9.28%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
ROE (TTM)22.31%28.65%
ROA (TTM)3.31%7.23%
Net Margin (TTM)5.46%4.84%
Operating Margin (TTM)7.03%9.28%
Gross Margin (TTM)30.87%22.37%

Growth

Revenue Growth

United Airlines (UAL) at 3.52% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while United Parcel Service (UPS) at -2.65% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both United Airlines (UAL) at 7.94% and United Parcel Service (UPS) at -2.81% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.52%-2.65%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.53%-4.04%
EPS Growth (YoY)7.94%-2.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)66.00%-20.79%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

United Parcel Service (UPS) at 1.24 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.

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.75

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
UAL
0.75
Min
0.22

UPS

Transportation industry group

1.24

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
UPS
1.24
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both United Airlines (UAL) at 1.93 and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 2.03 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

UAL

Transportation industry group

1.93

Max
2.75
UAL
1.93
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

UPS

Transportation industry group

2.03

Max
2.75
UPS
2.03
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.751.24
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.932.03
Net Debt / EBITDA2.791.94

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

United Airlines (UAL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile United Parcel Service (UPS) reports a yield of 5.91%, ranking against industry peers normally.

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
UAL
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UPS

Transportation industry group

5.91%

UPS
5.91%
Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

United Parcel Service (UPS) reports payout ratio above 100% at 126.40%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings; United Airlines (UAL) pays no dividend (payout 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%

UPS

Transportation industry group

126.40%

UPS
126.40%
Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%5.91%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%126.40%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

United Airlines (UAL) at 10.32 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while United Parcel Service (UPS) at 20.87 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for UAL, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

UAL

Transportation industry group

10.32

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
UAL
10.32
Min
0.00

UPS

Transportation industry group

20.87

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
UPS
20.87
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both United Airlines (UAL) at 0.56 and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 1.01 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.56

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
UAL
0.56
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04

UPS

Transportation industry group

1.01

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
UPS
1.01
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

United Airlines (UAL) at 2.06 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while United Parcel Service (UPS) at 6.15 carries an above-peer premium to book — UPS is pricier on assets.

UAL

Transportation industry group

2.06

Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
UAL
2.06
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07

UPS

Transportation industry group

6.15

Max
6.29
UPS
6.15
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
Loading chart…
United Airlines (UAL) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for United Airlines (UAL) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUALUPS
P/E Ratio (TTM)10.3220.87
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.561.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.066.15
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-1.57%6.79%