CNI vs. UPS
CNI (Canadian National Railway Company) and UPS (United Parcel Service, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — CNI in Railroads, UPS in Integrated Freight & Logistics. Over the past 10 years, CNI returned 9.61%/yr vs 3.56%/yr for UPS. Their 0.46 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
CNI vs. UPS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CNI achieves a 30.21% return, which is significantly higher than UPS's 8.33% return. Over the past 10 years, CNI has outperformed UPS with an annualized return of 9.61%, while UPS has yielded a comparatively lower 3.56% annualized return.
CNI
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- 4.65%
- 6M
- 33.76%
- YTD
- 30.21%
- 1Y
- 40.45%
- 3Y*
- 4.46%
- 5Y*
- 5.29%
- 10Y*
- 9.61%
- ALL TIME*
- 15.40%
UPS
- 1D
- -1.00%
- 1M
- -5.82%
- 6M
- 1.16%
- YTD
- 8.33%
- 1Y
- 31.82%
- 3Y*
- -12.82%
- 5Y*
- -7.35%
- 10Y*
- 3.56%
- ALL TIME*
- 4.74%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $241.64M | $209.71M | $185.48M | |
| $677.11M | $574.68M | $599.26M |
CNI vs. UPS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 30.21% | -0.10% | -17.51% | 7.84% | -1.86% | 13.70% | 23.66% | 24.26% | -8.49% | 25.03% |
UPS United Parcel Service, Inc. | 8.33% | -15.93% | -15.93% | -5.96% | -16.21% | 30.02% | 48.64% | 24.24% | -15.48% | 7.14% |
Correlation
The correlation between CNI and UPS is 0.39, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.39 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.46 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.50 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.46 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 1999 | 0.46 |
The correlation between CNI and UPS shifts across timeframes, from 0.39 (1 year) to 0.50 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CNI:
$76.95B
UPS:
$88.54B
CNI:
CA$7.79
UPS:
$5.37
CNI:
22.89
UPS:
19.40
CNI:
6.16
UPS:
0.99
CNI:
4.94
UPS:
5.89
CNI:
CA$17.78B
UPS:
$89.93B
CNI:
CA$7.90B
UPS:
$8.57B
CNI:
CA$9.04B
UPS:
$7.78B
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Return for Risk
CNI vs. UPS — Risk / Return Rank
CNI
UPS
CNI vs. UPS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) and United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CNI | UPS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.95 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.21 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.21 | 1.48 | +1.73 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.18 | 3.62 | +8.57 |
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Drawdowns
CNI vs. UPS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CNI drawdown since its inception was -46.66%, smaller than the maximum UPS drawdown of -57.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CNI and UPS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CNI | UPS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.66% | -57.92% | +11.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.37% | -19.90% | +7.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.14% | -49.04% | +19.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.14% | -57.92% | +28.78% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.15% | -57.92% | +28.77% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.58% | -44.29% | +41.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.47% | -15.45% | +5.98% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.26% | 8.11% | -4.85% |
Volatility
CNI vs. UPS - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) is 5.57%, while United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) has a volatility of 10.33%. This indicates that CNI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UPS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CNI | UPS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.57% | 10.33% | -4.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.96% | 23.79% | -6.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.66% | 28.94% | -7.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.45% | 28.70% | -6.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.70% | 27.83% | -5.13% |
Dividends
CNI vs. UPS - Dividend Comparison
CNI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.05%, less than UPS's 6.29% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 2.05% | 2.58% | 2.43% | 1.85% | 1.41% | 1.61% | 1.59% | 1.79% | 2.01% | 2.00% | 2.23% | 2.24% |
UPS United Parcel Service, Inc. | 6.29% | 6.61% | 5.17% | 4.12% | 3.50% | 1.90% | 2.40% | 3.28% | 3.73% | 2.79% | 2.72% | 3.03% |
Financials
CNI vs. UPS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Canadian National Railway Company and United Parcel Service, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CNI vs. UPS - Profitability Comparison
CNI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a gross profit of 2.08B and revenue of 4.76B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 43.7%.
UPS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, United Parcel Service, Inc. reported a gross profit of -3.36B and revenue of 22.83B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -14.7%.
CNI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported an operating income of 1.78B and revenue of 4.76B, resulting in an operating margin of 37.5%.
UPS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, United Parcel Service, Inc. reported an operating income of 930.00M and revenue of 22.83B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.1%.
CNI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a net income of 1.25B and revenue of 4.76B, resulting in a net margin of 26.3%.
UPS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, United Parcel Service, Inc. reported a net income of 604.00M and revenue of 22.83B, resulting in a net margin of 2.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CNI and UPS have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UPS has higher volatility (10.33%) compared to CNI (5.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CNI dropped -46.66% vs UPS's -57.92%.
CNI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.84 vs 1.02), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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