UL vs. USFD: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at UL and USFD, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
UL trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, USFD is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | UL | USFD |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Unilever PLC | US Foods Holding Corp. |
| Country | United Kingdom | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Personal Care Products | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 146.74 billion USD | 17.25 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 25, 1980 | May 26, 2016 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of UL and USFD by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | UL | USFD |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.73% | -0.71% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.54% | -0.51% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -3.23% | 16.78% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -8.94% | 27.36% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.64% | -1.26% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -3.87% | 13.58% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.88M | 2.32M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.11M | 2.15M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 15.26% | 20.60% |
| Beta | 0.18 | 1.37 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
UL
29.40%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 33.29%
- Q3
- 19.04%
- Median
- 10.69%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- -10.45%
In the upper quartile for the Personal Care Products industry, UL’s Return on Equity of 29.40% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
USFD
12.04%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 36.53%
- Q3
- 21.48%
- Median
- 13.14%
- Q1
- 8.11%
- Min
- -9.87%
USFD’s Return on Equity of 12.04% is on par with the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
UL
9.29%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 14.65%
- Q3
- 10.84%
- Median
- 9.29%
- Q1
- 5.35%
- Min
- -0.14%
UL’s Net Profit Margin of 9.29% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
USFD
1.43%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.25%
- Q3
- 3.98%
- Median
- 2.77%
- Q1
- 1.73%
- Min
- -0.70%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, USFD’s Net Profit Margin of 1.43% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
UL
14.58%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 19.64%
- Q3
- 16.46%
- Median
- 12.80%
- Q1
- 8.01%
- Min
- 2.98%
UL’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.58% is around the midpoint for the Personal Care Products industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
USFD
2.70%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.61%
- Median
- 4.18%
- Q1
- 2.72%
- Min
- 0.23%
USFD’s Operating Profit Margin of 2.70% is in the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | UL | USFD |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 29.40% | 12.04% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.13% | 4.07% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 9.29% | 1.43% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.58% | 2.70% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | 17.40% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
UL
0.76
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.73
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.16
- Min
- 0.76
UL’s Current Ratio of 0.76 falls into the lower quartile for the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
USFD
1.17
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.76
- Q3
- 1.28
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.49
USFD’s Current Ratio of 1.17 aligns with the median group of the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
UL
1.80
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 0.78
- Median
- 0.30
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
UL’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Personal Care Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.80. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
USFD
1.08
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.61
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
USFD’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.08 is typical for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
UL
22.79
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 96.53
- Q3
- 59.91
- Median
- 22.25
- Q1
- 7.85
- Min
- -3.28
UL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.79 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Personal Care Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
USFD
3.04
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 13.75
- Median
- 5.79
- Q1
- 3.04
- Min
- -5.51
USFD’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.04 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | UL | USFD |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.76 | 1.17 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.55 | 0.70 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.80 | 1.08 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.79 | 3.04 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
UL
3.56%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 2.70%
- Median
- 1.98%
- Q1
- 0.95%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 3.56%, UL offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Personal Care Products industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
USFD
0.00%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.08%
- Q3
- 3.33%
- Median
- 1.77%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
USFD currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
UL
79.51%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 221.40%
- Q3
- 137.27%
- Median
- 70.48%
- Q1
- 51.10%
- Min
- 0.00%
UL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.51% is within the typical range for the Personal Care Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
USFD
0.00%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 172.48%
- Q3
- 103.93%
- Median
- 54.70%
- Q1
- 24.82%
- Min
- 0.00%
USFD has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | UL | USFD |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.56% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 79.51% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
UL
22.31
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 46.28
- Q3
- 31.71
- Median
- 22.50
- Q1
- 20.20
- Min
- 11.79
UL’s P/E Ratio of 22.31 is within the middle range for the Personal Care Products industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
USFD
30.66
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 47.99
- Q3
- 30.23
- Median
- 22.19
- Q1
- 16.85
- Min
- 4.52
A P/E Ratio of 30.66 places USFD in the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
UL
2.07
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 2.59
- Q3
- 2.35
- Median
- 1.92
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.00
UL’s P/S Ratio of 2.07 aligns with the market consensus for the Personal Care Products industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
USFD
0.44
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.79
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.37
- Min
- 0.06
USFD’s P/S Ratio of 0.44 aligns with the market consensus for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
UL
7.00
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 12.00
- Q3
- 6.22
- Median
- 2.84
- Q1
- 1.70
- Min
- 1.12
UL’s P/B Ratio of 7.00 is in the upper tier for the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
USFD
3.85
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 8.68
- Q3
- 4.97
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.46
USFD’s P/B Ratio of 3.85 is within the conventional range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | UL | USFD |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 22.31 | 30.66 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.07 | 0.44 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 7.00 | 3.85 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 19.25 | 18.19 |