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UNP vs. XPO: Union Pacific vs. XPO Stock Comparison

How do Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO) 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 XPO (XPO) both belong to the Ground Transportation industry, though UNP is classified under Rail Transportation while XPO falls under Cargo Ground Transportation.

Company profile comparison for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
Profile ItemUNPXPO
NameUnion Pacific Corp.XPO, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationGround Transportation
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationCargo Ground Transportation
Market Capitalization172.38 billion USD20.62 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1980October 7, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

UNP
XPO
GSPC
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO), 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 XPO (XPO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
Total Return (1Y)36.74%32.98%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)14.66%32.39%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)6.62%32.42%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

UNP
XPO
GSPC
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO), 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 XPO (XPO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.12%41.59%
Beta (5Y)0.841.88
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.83%-46.99%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.49M1.09M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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UNP and XPO 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 XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.400.69
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.221.05

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 38.75% and XPO (XPO) at 26.54% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

UNP

Transportation industry group

38.75%

Max
45.08%
UNP
38.75%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%

XPO

Transportation industry group

26.54%

Max
45.08%
XPO
26.54%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 28.90% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of XPO (XPO) at 5.69%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

UNP

Transportation industry group

28.90%

Max
50.36%
UNP
28.90%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%

XPO

Transportation industry group

5.69%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
XPO
5.69%
Median
5.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 41.34% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of XPO (XPO) at 12.60%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

UNP

Transportation industry group

41.34%

Max
59.18%
UNP
41.34%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%

XPO

Transportation industry group

12.60%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
XPO
12.60%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
ROE (TTM)38.75%26.54%
ROA (TTM)9.51%7.12%
Net Margin (TTM)28.90%5.69%
Operating Margin (TTM)41.34%12.60%
Gross Margin (TTM)55.77%19.30%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.07% and XPO (XPO) at 1.05% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 8.03% and XPO (XPO) at -18.27% 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. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.07%1.05%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.49%1.86%
EPS Growth (YoY)8.03%-18.27%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)2.24%-22.90%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.16 and XPO (XPO) at 0.99 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.16

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
UNP
1.16
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22

XPO

Transportation industry group

0.99

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
XPO
0.99
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.41 and XPO (XPO) at 2.01 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.41

Max
2.75
UNP
1.41
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

XPO

Transportation industry group

2.01

Max
2.75
XPO
2.01
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): 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 XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.160.99
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.412.01
Net Debt / EBITDA2.112.53

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

XPO (XPO) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Union Pacific (UNP) reports a yield of 1.87%, ranking against industry peers normally.

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.87%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
UNP
1.87%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

XPO

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
XPO
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

XPO (XPO) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Union Pacific (UNP) reports a payout of 43.37%, ranking against industry peers normally.

UNP

Transportation industry group

43.37%

Max
100.89%
UNP
43.37%
Q3
41.68%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

XPO

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
Median
20.43%
XPO
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.87%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.37%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 22.63 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while XPO (XPO) at 41.64 sits in the richer quartile — XPO needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

UNP

Transportation industry group

22.63

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
UNP
22.63
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00

XPO

Transportation industry group

41.64

Max
46.76
XPO
41.64
Q3
30.87
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: XPO (XPO) at 2.33 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Union Pacific (UNP) at 6.54 prices even higher, above its industry range.

UNP

Transportation industry group

6.54

UNP
6.54
Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04

XPO

Transportation industry group

2.33

Max
4.35
XPO
2.33
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Union Pacific (UNP) at 7.83 and XPO (XPO) at 10.45 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

UNP

Transportation industry group

7.83

UNP
7.83
Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07

XPO

Transportation industry group

10.45

XPO
10.45
Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
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Union Pacific (UNP) vs. XPO (XPO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Union Pacific (UNP) and XPO (XPO)
MetricUNPXPO
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.6341.64
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.542.33
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.8310.45
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.94%2.71%