ROC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROIC %. United Parcel Service's annualized return on capital (ROC %) for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 6.56%.
As of today (2026-06-26), United Parcel Service's WACC % is 8.84%. United Parcel Service's ROC % is 9.96% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
United Parcel Service generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
United Parcel Service (PFTS:UPS) ROC % Explanation
ROC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROIC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, United Parcel Service's WACC % is 8.84%. United Parcel Service's ROC % is 9.96% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
United Parcel Service generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
* 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.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* 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.
United Parcel Service (PFTS:UPS) has a ROC % of 6.56% as of Mar. 2026. Return on capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period capital. View historical data on United Parcel Service and its competitors.
Is United Parcel Service's ROC % too high?
United Parcel Service's current ROC % is 6.56%. The Transportation industry median ROC % is 4.69. United Parcel Service's value of 6.56% is 39.9% above this industry median. Overall, United Parcel Service has a GF Score™ of 76/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does United Parcel Service's ROC % compare to FDX and JBHT?
United Parcel Service's ROC % of 6.56% can be compared against companies in the Transportation industry. The industry median ROC % is 4.69. United Parcel Service's value of 6.56% is 39.9% 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 ROC % for a Transportation company?
The median ROC % among Transportation companies is 4.69, based on 994 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. United Parcel Service's current ROC % of 6.56% is 39.9% 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 % mean?
A high ROC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period capital. View historical data on United Parcel Service and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median ROC % is 4.69 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. United Parcel Service's current ROC % is 6.56%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is United Parcel Service stock overvalued right now?
United Parcel Service (PFTS:UPS) has a current ROC % of 6.56%. The current ROC % is 6.56% and 39.9% above the Transportation industry median of 4.69. United Parcel Service's overall GF Score™ is 76/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROC % calculated?
ROC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For United Parcel Service (PFTS:UPS), the current ROC % is 6.56% 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.
As the world's largest parcel delivery company, UPS manages a massive fleet of more than 500 planes and 100,000 vehicles, along with many hundreds of sorting facilities, to deliver an average of about 22 million packages per day to residences and businesses across the globe. UPS' domestic US package operations generate around 65% of total revenue, while international package makes up 20%. Air and ocean freight forwarding and contract logistics make up the remainder.
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