Nutrien Ltd vs Union Pacific Corporation — how do they compare? Nutrien Ltd trades at $80.95 (market cap $38.47B), while Union Pacific Corporation trades at $285.05 (market cap $171.36B). The key difference: Union Pacific Corporation is far larger — about 4.5× Nutrien Ltd's market cap, and Nutrien Ltd pays the higher dividend (2.73%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NTR | UNP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $38.47B | $171.36B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $83.94 | $310.62 |
52-Week Low | $53.64 | $214.91 |
Enterprise Value | $50.28B | $200.42B |
Dividend Yield | 2.73% | 1.97% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nutrien (NTR) trades at $80.68, up 1.52% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates but beating on revenue, driven by higher fertilizer prices. Analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with a $76.17 price target, though recent news includes a downgrade to Hold citing cost pressures and volume constraints. Cash flow trends show consistent operational strength but negative net cash flow in recent years.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by strong potash and nitrogen demand and institutional buying, but risks include cyclical earnings, rising sulfur costs, and volatile agricultural markets. The stock's current price above the consensus target suggests limited near-term upside, requiring monitoring of cost management and volume recovery for sustained growth.
Union Pacific (UNP) trades at $288.45, down 0.4% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including a 28.85% net income margin and robust cash flow. Recent earnings beats in Q1 and Q2 2026, coupled with a pending Norfolk Southern merger expected to close by late 2027, highlight growth potential. The stock is supported by a consensus analyst price target of $334.33, indicating 16% upside.
The outlook is positive due to solid profitability and merger prospects, but risks include regulatory hurdles for the merger and economic sensitivity. Analysts are predominantly bullish (58.7% buy ratings), though technical indicators suggest near-term caution with support at $287.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Created in 2018 as a result of the merger between PotashCorp and Agrium, Nutrien is the world's largest fertilizer producer by capacity. Nutrien produces the three main crop nutrients--nitrogen, potash, and phosphate--although its main focus is potash, where it is the global leader in installed capacity with roughly 20% share. The company is also the largest agricultural retailer in the United States, selling fertilizers, crop chemicals, seeds, and services directly to farm customers through its brick-and-mortar stores and online platforms.
Read more on NTR →Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific is the largest public railroad in North America. Operating on more than 30,000 miles of track in the western two thirds of the U.S., UP generated roughly $22 billion of revenue in 2021 by hauling coal, industrial products, intermodal containers, agriculture goods, chemicals, and automotive goods. UP owns about one fourth of Mexican railroad Ferromex and derives about 10% of its revenue hauling freight to and from Mexico.
Read more on UNP →