Boston Beer Company Inc vs Union Pacific Corporation — how do they compare? Boston Beer Company Inc trades at $163.71 (market cap $1.67B), while Union Pacific Corporation trades at $285.05 (market cap $171.36B). The key difference: Union Pacific Corporation is far larger — about 102.6× Boston Beer Company Inc's market cap, and Union Pacific Corporation pays a 1.97% dividend while Boston Beer Company Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| SAM | UNP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $1.67B | $171.36B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
52-Week High | $260.05 | $310.62 |
52-Week Low | $161.08 | $214.91 |
Enterprise Value | $1.43B | $200.42B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.97% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
The Boston Beer Company (SAM) trades at $162.06, down 3.98% today, showing mixed signals with bearish technical indicators but positive cash flow trends. Recent earnings have missed expectations in Q1 and Q2 2026, though Q4 2025 beat estimates. The company maintains a debt-free balance sheet with strong operating cash flow of $270M in 2025, but faces volume declines and margin pressure.
SAM presents a cautious outlook with analyst consensus leaning Hold (71.87%) despite a $207.33 price target suggesting 28% upside. Key risks include declining alcohol consumption and execution challenges, while opportunities lie in new product launches and marketing leadership changes. The stock's valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 22.66 and P/S of 0.89.
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
Boston Beer is a leader in U.S. high-end malt beverages and adjacent categories, with strong positions in craft beer, hard cider, and hard seltzer. The firm sells an array of flavor variants and package sizes, predominantly centered around four priority brands: Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Hard Seltzer. Its drinks are produced in both company-owned breweries as well as through third-party contract arrangements, and while the company primarily goes to market through independent wholesalers (as mandated by law), it operates a fairly large salesforce to induce demand across the value chain (distributors, retailers, and drinkers). The preponderance of revenue is generated domestically.
Read more on SAM →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 →