Union PacificXSWX:UNP +1.73%91 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 16.68% as of Mar. 2026, which is 1% above its 10-year median of 16.46. GuruFocus rates XSWX:UNP with a GF Score™ of 91/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF199.76. The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 997 Transportation companies, Union Pacific ranks better than 66.2% on this metric.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits). He defines ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % as EBIT divided by the total of Property, Plant and Equipment and net working capital. Union Pacific's annualized ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 16.68%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:UNP'
s ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 14.57 Med: 16.46 Max: 18.2
Current: 17.5
During the past 13 years, Union Pacific's highest ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 18.20%. The lowest was 14.57%. And the median was 16.46%.
XSWX:UNP's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked better than 66.2% of 997
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 11.75
vs XSWX:UNP: 17.50
Union Pacific's 5-Year average Growth Rate of ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 2.10% per year.
Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP) ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Explanation
The way Joel Greenblatt defines Return on Capital is a more accurate measure of how efficiently the company generates returns onthe capital actually invested in the business. EBIT is used instead of net income because the tax and interest payment may be affected by factors other than the core business operation. Intangible assets are not included in the calculation because they don't need to be replaced.
Union Pacific ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Related Terms
Union Pacific ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % 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.
XSWX:UNP vs CSX, NSC, WAB: ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Comparison
For the Railroads subindustry, Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % falls into.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits) . He defines Return on Capital as follows:
EBIT stands for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes.
Fixed Assets are also known as non-current assets. They include the Property, Plant and Equipment that the firm needs in its operation.
GuruFocus calculates net working capital as: (Accounts Receivable + Total Inventories + Other Current Assets) - (Accounts Payable & Accrued Expense + Deferred Revenue + Other Current Liabilities). We're trying to account for OPERATING assets and liabilities (part of daily business) when calculating working capital. Cash and marketable securities are considered NON-OPERATING assets and are not included in calculation. We will also back out all interest bearing debt, short term debt and the portion of long term debt that is due in the current period from the current liabilities. This debt will be considered when computing cost of capital and it would be inappropriate to count it twice.
Note:
The EBIT data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBIT data.
* 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.
What does a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 16.68% mean?
Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP) has a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 16.68% as of Mar. 2026. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Union Pacific and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 16.46. Over the past decade, Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 14.57 to 18.20. According to the industry distribution chart, Union Pacific ranks #337 out of 997 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 33.8%.
Is Union Pacific's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
Union Pacific's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 16.68% is near median its 10-year median of 16.46. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 14.57 to a high of 18.20. The Transportation industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.75. Union Pacific's value of 16.68% is 42% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Union Pacific ranks #337 out of 997 companies in the Transportation industry, which is above the industry midpoint. 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to CSX and NSC?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Union Pacific ranks #337 out of 997 companies for ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %. This puts Union Pacific in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.75. Union Pacific's value of 16.68% is 42% above this benchmark. Historically, Union Pacific's own ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 14.57 to 18.20 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 16.46 vs. the industry median of 11.75, Union Pacific has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for a Transportation company?
The median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % among Transportation companies is 11.75, based on 997 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Union Pacific's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 16.68% is 42% 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % mean?
A high ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Union Pacific and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.75 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Union Pacific's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 16.68%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 16.46. 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 16.68%. 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 16.68%, which is near median its 10-year median of 16.46 and 42% above the Transportation industry median of 11.75. 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % calculated?
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Union Pacific (XSWX:UNP), the current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 16.68% as of Mar. 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:
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %: 16.68% (near median its 10-year median of 16.46)
GF Value™: CHF199.76 vs. price of CHF232.00 (16.1% above fair value)
Industry Position: 42% above the Transportation median (#337 of 997)
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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