Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific is the largest public railroad in North America.
It is a $167B industrial company. Revenue grew 4.2% over the last year, it keeps 29¢ of every dollar of sales as profit, and its net debt equals ~4.7 years of free cash flow. It trades at 22.6× earnings — in the most expensive third of its own history.
- Website
- up.com
- Location
- Omaha, NE
- Employees
- 28 716
- Sector
- Industrials
- Founded
- 1862
Skills
Six independent scores, 0–100, built from reported numbers and valuation history. Click a row to see how it was scored.
Strong profitability, quality and moat; Valuation, Growth and Health lag behind.
Valuation41
- P/E vs own history71th pct · 5/25
- FCF yield3.9% · 12/25
- P/S6.5x · 12/25
- EV/EBITDA15.3x · 12/25
Growth36
- Revenue CAGR3.0% · 6/25
- Net income CAGR2.3% · 6/25
- EPS CAGR ~5Y8.7% · 12/25
- Fwd implied growth14.0% · 12/25
Profitability87
- ROIC14.6% · 12/25
- ROE38.6% · 25/25
- Net margin28.8% · 25/25
- Operating margin40.0% · 25/25
Health29
- Altman Zn/a · 0/25
- Current ratio0.99 · 6/25
- Interest coverage8.3x · 18/25
- Net cash / debtD/A 44% · 5/25
Quality94
- Piotroski F7/9 · 22/25
- Beneish M-2.50 · 25/25
- FCF conversion89% · 22/25
- Margin stabilityσ 2.1% · 25/25
Moat88
- ROIC >12% years10/10 yrs · 25/25
- Median gross margin40.1% · 13/25
- FCF-positive years10/10 yrs · 25/25
- Worst-year net marginworst 21.2% · 25/25
Experience
The company's career so far — founding, the IPO, landmark products and acquisitions, plus revenue milestones and insider buying.
- FY2017FinancialBest year on record$10.7B net income
- FY2016FinancialProfitable every year on record10 consecutive profitable years in our data
- FY2016FinancialRevenue already above $10B$19.9B in first reported year
- FY2016FinancialPositive free cash flow every year since10-year streak
- 2005AcquisitionThe company was acquired by United Parcel Service for $1.3 billion
- 2003IPOUnion Pacific completed a corporate spin-off and initial public offering of Overnite
- 2000AcquisitionAnadarko Petroleum acquired Union Pacific Resources in 2000 for $4.4 billion in stock
- 1996MilestoneUnion Pacific completed the corporate spin-off of Union Pacific Resources, its hydrocarbon exploration subsidiary,…
- 1995AcquisitionThe company acquired the 70% of Chicago and North Western Transportation Company that it did not…
- 1986AcquisitionThe company acquired Overnite Transportation Company (now TForce Freight) for $1.2 billion
- 1982AcquisitionUnion Pacific Corporation acquired Missouri Pacific Railroad
- 1893MilestoneThe Union Pacific Railway declared bankruptcy during the Panic of 1893, in part due to losses from the fraud and new…
- 1864MilestoneUnion Pacific was entangled in the Crédit Mobilier scandal, a fraud involving the company
- 1862FoundedAfter the passage of the Pacific Railway Acts, an entity called Union Pacific Railroad was…
Achievements
Verifiable track record, straight from the reported numbers.
Strengths & watch-outs
What a bull and a bear would each point to. Both lists come from the reported numbers, not opinions.
Strengths
- High gross margin (78.3%)
- Strongly profitable — 28.8% net margin
- Strong cash conversion — FCF is 25.6% of revenue
- Interest covered 8.3× by operating earnings
- Piotroski F-Score 7/9 — fundamentally strong checklist
Watch-outs
Nothing stands out as a concern in the available data.
Qualifications
The basics a company should meet before you research it further. Each check uses the reported numbers.
- Revenue growing — the company sells more than a year ago+4.2% YoY
- Profitable — makes more than it spends$7.33B TTM
- Profit growing — earnings are higher than last year+2.2% YoY
- Generates cash — cash left after running and investing$6.50B TTM
- Debt under control — could handle its obligations~4.7y of cash flow to repay
- Established company — not a micro-cap — lower blow-up risk$167B market cap
- Not printing shares — share count not ballooning — you keep your slice-12.3% shares over ~5y
- Proven track record — years of profitability behind it10/10 profitable years
- Financially stable — balance sheet not near distresshealth score 24/100
- Pays a dividend — returns cash to shareholdersyield 1.98%
- Valuation not extreme — price not wildly above earningsP/E 22.6
Peer comparisonUnion Pacific Corp. vs 6 largest industrials peers — cap, P/E, growth and margin side by sideOpen ▾Close ▴
| Company | Market cap | P/E | Revenue growth | Net margin | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNP this company | $166.8B | 22.6 | +4.2% | 28.8% | Strained |
| LRCX Lam Research Corp | $399.2B | 54.9 | +26.0% | 31.3% | Strong |
| CAT Caterpillar Inc. | $368.0B | 33.9 | +18.4% | 14.5% | Solid |
| RTX RTX Corporation | $251.3B | 32.4 | +11.8% | 8.3% | Strained |
| DE Deere & Company | $167.7B | 34.4 | +8.3% | 10.2% | Solid |
| ETN Eaton Corporation, plc | $167.2B | 43.6 | +15.5% | 12.8% | Mixed |
| BA Boeing Company | $150.6B | 61.8 | +24.8% | 2.6% | Strained |
Head-to-head: UNP vs LRCX · UNP vs CAT · UNP vs RTX
References
What covering analysts publish about the company — information only, not a recommendation.
Appendix · Financial records
The full statements behind this CV, FY2016–FY2025. For readers who want to check the numbers.
Live data and quarterly detail: stockcv.com/UNP
Want the live picture — intraday moves, valuation history and full analysis?
Deeper analysis of UNP on PreMarketPriceFigures are derived from company filings (quarterly values normalised from as-filed year-to-date data where applicable) and may be delayed, restated or incomplete. This page is information, not investment advice. Latest price $280.74 · market cap $167B.