UNP vs. WCN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at UNP and WCN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | UNP | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Union Pacific Corporation | Waste Connections, Inc. |
| Country | United States | Canada |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Commercial Services & Supplies |
| Market Capitalization | 139.48 billion USD | 45.03 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1980 | May 22, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of UNP and WCN 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 | UNP | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.61% | 2.22% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 2.73% | -3.95% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -0.70% | -10.63% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -3.21% | 1.20% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 5.73% | -3.60% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 3.65% | -0.79% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.69M | 0.42M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 4.26M | 0.31M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 19.15% | 17.47% |
| Beta | 1.06 | 0.41 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
UNP
42.18%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 23.35%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 9.05%
- Q1
- 6.86%
- Min
- 1.73%
UNP’s Return on Equity of 42.18% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
WCN
7.93%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.93%
- Q3
- 16.86%
- Median
- 10.28%
- Q1
- 6.63%
- Min
- 0.71%
WCN’s Return on Equity of 7.93% is on par with the norm for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
UNP
28.43%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.19%
- Q3
- 17.08%
- Median
- 7.19%
- Q1
- 4.45%
- Min
- -5.54%
A Net Profit Margin of 28.43% places UNP in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
WCN
6.97%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 16.98%
- Q3
- 9.05%
- Median
- 5.35%
- Q1
- 3.42%
- Min
- -2.31%
WCN’s Net Profit Margin of 6.97% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
UNP
40.33%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.90%
- Q3
- 23.80%
- Median
- 10.93%
- Q1
- 7.06%
- Min
- -12.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 40.33% places UNP in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
WCN
12.19%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.33%
- Q3
- 12.51%
- Median
- 8.33%
- Q1
- 4.45%
- Min
- -2.90%
WCN’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.19% is around the midpoint for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | UNP | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 42.18% | 7.93% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 10.19% | 3.19% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 28.43% | 6.97% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 40.33% | 12.19% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 79.89% | 42.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
UNP
0.65
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 1.31
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.74
- Min
- 0.35
UNP’s Current Ratio of 0.65 falls into the lower quartile for the Ground Transportation industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
WCN
0.67
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.73
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.59
WCN’s Current Ratio of 0.67 falls into the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
UNP
2.02
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.51
- Q3
- 1.48
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.48
- Min
- 0.00
UNP’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Ground Transportation industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.02. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
WCN
1.00
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.24
- Q3
- 1.14
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.00
WCN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.00 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies 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)
UNP
8.23
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 59.80
- Q3
- 25.78
- Median
- 8.23
- Q1
- 2.52
- Min
- -24.57
UNP’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 8.23 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
WCN
3.42
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 13.44
- Median
- 9.06
- Q1
- 3.42
- Min
- -10.97
WCN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.42 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | UNP | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.65 | 0.67 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.53 | 0.57 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.02 | 1.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 8.23 | 3.42 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
UNP
2.31%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.29%
- Q3
- 2.57%
- Median
- 1.59%
- Q1
- 0.71%
- Min
- 0.00%
UNP’s Dividend Yield of 2.31% is consistent with its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WCN
0.70%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.65%
- Q3
- 2.43%
- Median
- 1.58%
- Q1
- 0.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Yield of 0.70% is in the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
UNP
46.49%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 149.12%
- Q3
- 75.08%
- Median
- 41.35%
- Q1
- 16.42%
- Min
- 0.00%
UNP’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 46.49% is within the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WCN
28.21%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 73.07%
- Median
- 44.79%
- Q1
- 27.66%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.21% is within the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | UNP | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.31% | 0.70% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 46.49% | 28.21% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
UNP
20.10
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 39.04
- Q3
- 24.45
- Median
- 17.51
- Q1
- 12.92
- Min
- 5.87
UNP’s P/E Ratio of 20.10 is within the middle range for the Ground Transportation industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
WCN
70.20
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.87
- Q3
- 33.40
- Median
- 23.56
- Q1
- 15.28
- Min
- 6.56
At 70.20, WCN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
UNP
5.71
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.22
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.24
With a P/S Ratio of 5.71, UNP trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Ground Transportation industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
WCN
4.89
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.84
- Q3
- 2.58
- Median
- 1.09
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.06
With a P/S Ratio of 4.89, WCN trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
UNP
8.46
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.27
- Q3
- 3.03
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.67
At 8.46, UNP’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Ground Transportation industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
WCN
5.65
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.40
- Q3
- 3.97
- Median
- 2.44
- Q1
- 1.60
- Min
- 0.40
WCN’s P/B Ratio of 5.65 is in the upper tier for the Commercial Services & Supplies 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | UNP | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.10 | 70.20 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.71 | 4.89 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 8.46 | 5.65 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 22.26 | 39.63 |