UL vs. RIO
UL (Unilever PLC) and RIO (Rio Tinto Group) are both stocks. UL operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive), while RIO operates in Other Industrial Metals & Mining (Basic Materials). Over the past 10 years, UL returned 5.17%/yr vs 18.86%/yr for RIO. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
UL vs. RIO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UL achieves a -3.56% return, which is significantly lower than RIO's 14.41% return. Over the past 10 years, UL has underperformed RIO with an annualized return of 5.17%, while RIO has yielded a comparatively higher 18.86% annualized return.
UL
- 1D
- -0.63%
- 1M
- 6.16%
- 6M
- -2.23%
- YTD
- -3.56%
- 1Y
- -4.56%
- 3Y*
- 5.22%
- 5Y*
- 2.26%
- 10Y*
- 5.17%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.38%
RIO
- 1D
- -1.20%
- 1M
- -11.00%
- 6M
- 7.55%
- YTD
- 14.41%
- 1Y
- 54.91%
- 3Y*
- 17.24%
- 5Y*
- 9.21%
- 10Y*
- 18.86%
- ALL TIME*
- 11.71%
UL vs. RIO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UL Unilever PLC | -3.56% | 5.96% | 20.90% | -0.17% | -2.82% | -7.61% | 9.04% | 12.88% | -2.34% | 40.15% |
RIO Rio Tinto Group | 14.41% | 44.47% | -15.36% | 11.06% | 18.48% | -3.67% | 36.22% | 33.18% | -2.93% | 44.87% |
Correlation
The correlation between UL and RIO is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 28, 1990 | 0.29 |
Over the past year, the correlation between UL and RIO has dropped to 0.06 - well below their long-term average of 0.29, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
UL:
$133.56B
RIO:
$144.65B
UL:
€5.38
RIO:
$13.11
UL:
10.07
RIO:
6.79
UL:
1.09
RIO:
1.31
UL:
7.67
RIO:
2.35
UL:
€109.27B
RIO:
$111.41B
UL:
€90.89B
RIO:
$31.10B
UL:
€24.12B
RIO:
$40.42B
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Return for Risk
UL vs. RIO — Risk / Return Rank
UL
RIO
UL vs. RIO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Unilever PLC (UL) and Rio Tinto Group (RIO). 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.
| UL | RIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.55 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 1.31 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.18 | 2.66 | -2.84 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.35 | 8.59 | -8.93 |
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Drawdowns
UL vs. RIO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UL drawdown since its inception was -53.55%, smaller than the maximum RIO drawdown of -88.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UL and RIO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UL | RIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.55% | -88.97% | +35.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.09% | -20.74% | -4.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.09% | -24.19% | -0.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.09% | -35.25% | +10.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.13% | -37.47% | +7.34% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.44% | -20.50% | +5.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.62% | -23.74% | +13.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.20% | 6.41% | +6.79% |
Volatility
UL vs. RIO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Unilever PLC (UL) is 6.50%, while Rio Tinto Group (RIO) has a volatility of 8.38%. This indicates that UL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than RIO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UL | RIO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.50% | 8.38% | -1.88% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.27% | 24.96% | -7.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.22% | 29.72% | -7.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.04% | 29.33% | -8.29% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.52% | 30.42% | -8.90% |
Dividends
UL vs. RIO - Dividend Comparison
UL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.68%, less than RIO's 4.51% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RIO Rio Tinto Group | 4.51% | 4.66% | 7.40% | 5.40% | 10.48% | 10.23% | 5.13% | 7.68% | 6.32% | 4.47% | 3.93% | 7.58% |
UL Unilever PLC | 3.68% | 3.51% | 3.29% | 3.83% | 3.57% | 3.77% | 3.07% | 3.18% | 3.49% | 2.80% | 3.42% | 3.02% |
Financials
UL vs. RIO - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Unilever PLC and Rio Tinto Group. 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
UL vs. RIO - Profitability Comparison
UL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Unilever PLC reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 18.38B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
RIO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Rio Tinto Group reported a gross profit of 8.15B and revenue of 30.65B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 26.6%.
UL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Unilever PLC reported an operating income of 4.13B and revenue of 18.38B, resulting in an operating margin of 22.5%.
RIO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Rio Tinto Group reported an operating income of 8.15B and revenue of 30.65B, resulting in an operating margin of 26.6%.
UL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Unilever PLC reported a net income of 2.56B and revenue of 18.38B, resulting in a net margin of 14.0%.
RIO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Rio Tinto Group reported a net income of 5.42B and revenue of 30.65B, resulting in a net margin of 17.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
UL and RIO have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
RIO has higher volatility (8.38%) compared to UL (6.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UL dropped -53.55% vs RIO's -88.97%.
RIO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs -0.21), 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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