Union Pacific Corporation vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Union Pacific Corporation trades at $285.05 (market cap $171.36B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $391.21 (market cap $110.23B). The key difference: Union Pacific Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Union Pacific Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.97%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| UNP | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $171.36B | $110.23B |
Sector | Industrials | Energy |
52-Week High | $310.62 | $388.95 |
52-Week Low | $214.91 | $156.39 |
Enterprise Value | $200.42B | $113.71B |
Dividend Yield | 1.97% | 1.25% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Union Pacific (UNP) trades at $288.45, down 0.4% with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamentals. The company reported solid Q2 2026 earnings beat ($3.41 vs $3.26 expected) and maintains robust profitability with 28.85% net margin and 39.7% ROE. Recent news highlights progress on the Norfolk Southern merger, expected to close by late 2027, while institutional activity shows mixed positioning with some funds increasing stakes while others reduced exposure.
The stock offers upside to the $334.33 consensus price target with 58.7% analyst buy ratings, though technical resistance near $290-294 and merger regulatory risks warrant monitoring. Strong cash flow generation ($9.29B operating cash flow in 2025) and dividend payments ($1.42 declared for H2-26) support shareholder returns, while debt levels remain manageable at 46.06% debt-to-asset ratio.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $382.85, up 3.27% with strong technical momentum and bullish moving averages. The stock shows robust fundamentals with consistent earnings beats (Q4 2025-Q2 2026) and attractive valuation ratios (P/E 15.97, P/S 0.83). Recent news highlights inclusion in growth stock lists and upcoming Q3 2026 earnings on October 22, 2026.
Outlook remains positive with favorable refining conditions and analyst consensus at Buy (58%). Key risks include revenue decline from $176.4B (2022) to $122.7B (2025) and political pressure on gas prices. The stock offers value but faces sector volatility and macroeconomic headwinds.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Valero Energy is one of the largest independent refiners in the United States. It operates 14 refineries with a total throughput capacity of 3.2 million barrels a day in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Valero also owns 14 ethanol plants with capacity of 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol a year and holds a 50% stake in Diamond Green Diesel, which has capacity to produce 700 million gallons per year of renewable diesel.
Read more on VLO →