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UNP vs. UPS: Union Pacific vs. United Parcel Service Stock Comparison

How do Union Pacific (UNP) 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

Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but UNP is classified in Ground Transportation while UPS is classified in Air Freight & Logistics.

Company profile comparison for Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
Profile ItemUNPUPS
NameUnion Pacific CorporationUnited Parcel Service, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationAir Freight & Logistics
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationAir Freight & Logistics
Market Capitalization174.14 billion USD88.91 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1980November 10, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

UNP
UPS
GSPC
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Union Pacific (UNP) 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

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Trailing total returns for Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Union Pacific (UNP) 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 Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
Total Return (1Y)34.64%29.13%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)10.93%-12.21%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.28%-7.42%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

UNP
UPS
GSPC
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Union Pacific (UNP) 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Union Pacific (UNP) 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 Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.19%29.37%
Beta (5Y)0.961.06
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.83%-57.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.96M5.41M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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UNP 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 Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.380.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.221.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 39.70% and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 29.60% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

UNP

Transportation industry group

39.70%

Max
42.67%
UNP
39.70%
Q3
21.80%
Median
11.68%
Q1
3.11%
Min
-15.07%

UPS

Transportation industry group

29.60%

Max
42.67%
UPS
29.60%
Q3
21.80%
Median
11.68%
Q1
3.11%
Min
-15.07%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 28.85% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of United Parcel Service (UPS) at 5.08%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

UNP

Transportation industry group

28.85%

Max
50.36%
UNP
28.85%
Q3
20.85%
Median
5.56%
Q1
0.93%
Min
-11.37%

UPS

Transportation industry group

5.08%

Max
50.36%
Q3
20.85%
Median
5.56%
UPS
5.08%
Q1
0.93%
Min
-11.37%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 40.98% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of United Parcel Service (UPS) at 4.36%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

UNP

Transportation industry group

40.98%

Max
53.49%
UNP
40.98%
Q3
23.53%
Median
9.30%
Q1
3.10%
Min
-11.50%

UPS

Transportation industry group

4.36%

Max
53.49%
Q3
23.53%
Median
9.30%
UPS
4.36%
Q1
3.10%
Min
-11.50%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
ROE (TTM)39.70%29.60%
ROA (TTM)9.27%6.41%
Net Margin (TTM)28.85%5.08%
Operating Margin (TTM)40.98%4.36%
Gross Margin (TTM)56.29%21.22%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.07% 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.

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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 8.03% 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.

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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.07%-2.65%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.49%-4.04%
EPS Growth (YoY)8.03%-2.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)2.24%-20.79%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 0.99 and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 1.18 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

UNP

Transportation industry group

0.99

Max
2.97
Q3
1.69
Median
1.19
UNP
0.99
Q1
0.79
Min
0.28

UPS

Transportation industry group

1.18

Max
2.97
Q3
1.69
Median
1.19
UPS
1.18
Q1
0.79
Min
0.28
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.51 and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 1.90 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.51

Max
2.94
UNP
1.51
Q3
1.39
Median
0.80
Q1
0.36
Min
0.00

UPS

Transportation industry group

1.90

Max
2.94
UPS
1.90
Q3
1.39
Median
0.80
Q1
0.36
Min
0.00
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Union Pacific (UNP) 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 Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.991.18
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.511.90
Net Debt / EBITDA2.262.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.87% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; United Parcel Service (UPS) at 6.36% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.87%

Max
3.84%
UNP
1.87%
Q3
1.74%
Median
0.67%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UPS

Transportation industry group

6.36%

UPS
6.36%
Max
3.84%
Q3
1.74%
Median
0.67%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Union Pacific (UNP) 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 121.93%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Union Pacific (UNP) reports 44.70%, ranking against industry peers normally.

UNP

Transportation industry group

44.70%

Max
85.28%
UNP
44.70%
Q3
43.41%
Median
21.92%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UPS

Transportation industry group

121.93%

UPS
121.93%
Max
85.28%
Q3
43.41%
Median
21.92%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.87%6.36%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)44.70%121.93%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 23.93 and United Parcel Service (UPS) at 19.42 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

UNP

Transportation industry group

23.93

Max
57.88
Q3
33.39
UNP
23.93
Median
21.05
Q1
13.76
Min
2.18

UPS

Transportation industry group

19.42

Max
57.88
Q3
33.39
Median
21.05
UPS
19.42
Q1
13.76
Min
2.18
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

United Parcel Service (UPS) at 0.99 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Union Pacific (UNP) at 6.85 clears its benchmark range — UNP looks notably rich on sales.

UNP

Transportation industry group

6.85

UNP
6.85
Max
4.31
Q3
2.40
Median
1.26
Q1
0.67
Min
0.07

UPS

Transportation industry group

0.99

Max
4.31
Q3
2.40
Median
1.26
UPS
0.99
Q1
0.67
Min
0.07
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: United Parcel Service (UPS) at 5.90 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Union Pacific (UNP) at 8.96 prices even higher, above its industry range.

UNP

Transportation industry group

8.96

UNP
8.96
Max
7.77
Q3
4.30
Median
2.05
Q1
1.25
Min
-2.66

UPS

Transportation industry group

5.90

Max
7.77
UPS
5.90
Q3
4.30
Median
2.05
Q1
1.25
Min
-2.66
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. United Parcel Service (UPS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and United Parcel Service (UPS)
MetricUNPUPS
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.9319.42
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.850.99
P/B Ratio (MRQ)8.965.90
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.71%5.60%