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UPS vs. ZTO: United Parcel Service vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) Stock Comparison

How do United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) 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 Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) are both classified in the Air Freight & Logistics sub-industry within the broader Air Freight & Logistics industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

United Parcel Service (UPS) trades as ordinary local shares, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
Profile ItemUPSZTO
NameUnited Parcel Service, Inc. Class B Common StockZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesChina
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryAir Freight & LogisticsAir Freight & Logistics
GICS Sub-IndustryAir Freight & LogisticsAir Freight & Logistics
Market Capitalization92.21 billion USD15.53 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateNovember 10, 1999October 27, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

UPS
ZTO
GSPC
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO), 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 United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
Total Return (1Y)23.57%11.22%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-1.91%-1.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-7.66%-3.82%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

UPS
ZTO
GSPC
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO), 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 United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) reports a negative beta of -0.18, suggesting inverse market sensitivity over the measurement window. That is uncommon for ordinary equities and can reflect commodity-linked or hedge-like exposure, but it can also come from statistical noise. United Parcel Service (UPS) has a non-negative beta of 0.95.

Risk profile metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.76%24.57%
Beta (5Y)0.95-0.18
Max Drawdown (5Y)-57.92%-49.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.77M2.26M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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UPS and ZTO 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 Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.650.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.890.40

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

United Parcel Service (UPS) at 28.65% sits in the top ROE quartile, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 16.28% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UPS.

UPS

Transportation industry group

28.65%

Max
45.08%
UPS
28.65%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

16.28%

Max
45.08%
Q3
22.02%
ZTO
16.28%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both United Parcel Service (UPS) at 4.84% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 19.04% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

UPS

Transportation industry group

4.84%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
UPS
4.84%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

19.04%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
ZTO
19.04%
Median
5.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both United Parcel Service (UPS) at 9.28% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 22.19% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

UPS

Transportation industry group

9.28%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
UPS
9.28%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

22.19%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
ZTO
22.19%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
ROE (TTM)28.65%16.28%
ROA (TTM)7.23%7.38%
Net Margin (TTM)4.84%19.04%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.28%22.19%
Gross Margin (TTM)22.37%25.10%

Growth

Revenue Growth

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 10.88% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while United Parcel Service (UPS) at -2.65% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both United Parcel Service (UPS) at -2.81% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 4.58% 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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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
Revenue Growth (YoY)-2.65%10.88%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-4.04%11.54%
EPS Growth (YoY)-2.81%4.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-20.79%10.21%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

United Parcel Service (UPS) at 1.24 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 1.67 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

UPS

Transportation industry group

1.24

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
UPS
1.24
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22

ZTO

Transportation industry group

1.67

Max
2.58
ZTO
1.67
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 0.35 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while United Parcel Service (UPS) at 2.03 uses more debt funding than most peers.

UPS

Transportation industry group

2.03

Max
2.75
UPS
2.03
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

ZTO

Transportation industry group

0.35

Max
2.75
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
ZTO
0.35
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.241.67
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.030.35
Net Debt / EBITDA1.94-0.62

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both United Parcel Service (UPS) at 5.91% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 12.89% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

UPS

Transportation industry group

5.91%

UPS
5.91%
Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

12.89%

ZTO
12.89%
Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): 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 and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) reports 38.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.

UPS

Transportation industry group

126.40%

UPS
126.40%
Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

38.36%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
ZTO
38.36%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
Dividend Yield (TTM)5.91%12.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)126.40%38.36%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both United Parcel Service (UPS) at 20.87 and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 11.37 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

UPS

Transportation industry group

20.87

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
UPS
20.87
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00

ZTO

Transportation industry group

11.37

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
Median
20.58
ZTO
11.37
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 0.29 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while United Parcel Service (UPS) at 1.01 prices around its industry’s middle — ZTO costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

UPS

Transportation industry group

1.01

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
UPS
1.01
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04

ZTO

Transportation industry group

0.29

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
ZTO
0.29
Min
0.04
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 1.66 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.

UPS

Transportation industry group

6.15

Max
6.29
UPS
6.15
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07

ZTO

Transportation industry group

1.66

Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
ZTO
1.66
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
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United Parcel Service (UPS) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for United Parcel Service (UPS) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricUPSZTO
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.8711.37
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.010.29
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.151.66
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.79%41.42%