Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP) Forward PE Ratio Explanation
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
Union Pacific Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
Union Pacific Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Union Pacific's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Union Pacific Forward PE Ratio Chart
Union Pacific Annual Data
Trend
2015-12
2016-12
Forward PE Ratio
13.28
16.56
Union Pacific Quarterly Data
2015-12
2016-03
2016-06
2016-09
2016-12
2017-03
2017-09
2026-03
Forward PE Ratio
13.28
13.68
15.82
16.56
16.56
19.31
15.72
19.65
XSWX:UNP vs CSX, NSC, WAB: Forward PE Ratio Comparison
For the Railroads subindustry, Union Pacific's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Union Pacific Forward PE Ratio vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Union Pacific's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Union Pacific's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP) has a Forward PE Ratio of 22.55 as of Jul. 12, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Union Pacific and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Union Pacific ranks #371 out of 490 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 75.7%.
Is Union Pacific's Forward PE Ratio too high?
Union Pacific's current Forward PE Ratio is 22.55. The Transportation industry median Forward PE Ratio is 13.43. Union Pacific's value of 22.55 is 68% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Union Pacific ranks #371 out of 490 companies in the Transportation industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Union Pacific has a GF Score™ of 91/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Union Pacific's Forward PE Ratio compare to CSX and NSC?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Union Pacific ranks #371 out of 490 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places Union Pacific in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 13.43. Union Pacific's value of 22.55 is 68% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for a Transportation company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Transportation companies is 13.43, based on 490 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Union Pacific's current Forward PE Ratio of 22.55 is 68% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Union Pacific and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 13.43 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Union Pacific's current Forward PE Ratio is 22.55. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Union Pacific stock overvalued right now?
Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP) has a current Forward PE Ratio of 22.55. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF199.76, compared to a current price of CHF232.00 — trading 16.1% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 22.55 and 68% above the Transportation industry median of 13.43. Union Pacific's overall GF Score™ is 91/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP), the current Forward PE Ratio is 22.55 as of Jul. 12, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Union Pacific stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of CHF232.00 is trading 16.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF199.76.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:UNP:
Forward PE Ratio: 22.55
GF Value™: CHF199.76 vs. price of CHF232.00 (16.1% above fair value)
Industry Position: 68% above the Transportation median (#371 of 490)
No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:UNP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
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 US, Union Pacific generated $24.5 billion of revenue in 2025 by hauling coal, industrial products, intermodal containers, agricultural goods, chemicals, fertilizers, and automotive goods. Union Pacific owns about one-fourth of Mexican railroad Ferromex and historically derives roughly 10% of its revenue hauling freight to and from Mexico.
91GF Score
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