WU vs. MO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

WU (The Western Union Company) and MO (Altria Group, Inc.) are both stocks. WU operates in Credit Services (Financial Services), while MO operates in Tobacco (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, WU returned -3.28%/yr vs 7.78%/yr for MO. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

WU vs. MO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Western Union Company (WU) and Altria Group, Inc. (MO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WU achieves a -12.99% return, which is significantly lower than MO's 23.96% return. Over the past 10 years, WU has underperformed MO with an annualized return of -3.28%, while MO has yielded a comparatively higher 7.78% annualized return.

WU

• 1D: -0.88%
• 1M: -13.94%
• YTD: -12.99%
• 6M: -8.23%
• 1Y: -6.66%
• 3Y*: -4.46%
• 5Y*: -14.29%
• 10Y*: -3.28%

MO

• 1D: 1.53%
• 1M: -4.24%
• YTD: 23.96%
• 6M: 24.61%
• 1Y: 24.64%
• 3Y*: 25.16%
• 5Y*: 15.82%
• 10Y*: 7.78%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

WU vs. MO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WU The Western Union Company	-12.99%	-2.63%	-3.79%	-6.19%	-17.92%	-15.11%	-14.72%	62.85%	-6.73%	-9.27%
MO Altria Group, Inc.	23.96%	18.17%	40.76%	-3.70%	4.37%	24.18%	-10.21%	7.87%	-27.14%	9.45%

Correlation

The correlation between WU and MO is -0.00, 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	-0.00
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.15
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2006	0.29

The correlation between WU and MO shifts across timeframes, from -0.00 (1 year) to 0.29 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap WU : $2.50B MO : $117.61B
EPS WU : $1.36 MO : $4.79
PE Ratio WU : 5.81 MO : 14.66
PEG Ratio WU : 2.59 MO : 0.31
PS Ratio WU : 0.63 MO : 5.41
Total Revenue (TTM) WU : $4.05B MO : $21.82B
Gross Profit (TTM) WU : $1.38B MO : $14.80B
EBITDA (TTM) WU : $832.80M MO : $11.70B

Return for Risk

WU vs. MO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

WU

WU Risk / Return Rank: 28
WU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
WU Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
WU Omega Ratio Rank: 27
WU Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
WU Martin Ratio Rank: 26

MO

MO Risk / Return Rank: 69
MO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
MO Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
MO Omega Ratio Rank: 68
MO Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
MO Martin Ratio Rank: 70

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

WU vs. MO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Western Union Company (WU) and Altria Group, Inc. (MO). 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.

	WU	MO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.22	1.10	-1.32
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.12	1.58	-1.70
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.99	1.22	-0.23
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.32	1.51	-1.82
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.77	3.82	-4.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WU vs. MO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WU Sharpe Ratio is -0.22, which is lower than the MO Sharpe Ratio of 1.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WU and MO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	WU	MO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.22	1.10	-1.32
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.50	0.77	-1.27
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.12	0.34	-0.46
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.03	0.69	-0.72

Drawdowns

WU vs. MO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WU drawdown since its inception was -63.10%, roughly equal to the maximum MO drawdown of -65.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WU and MO.

Drawdown Indicators

	WU	MO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.10%	-65.43%	+2.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-21.20%	-16.40%	-4.80%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-36.69%	-16.40%	-20.29%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-57.35%	-25.83%	-31.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.15%	-53.69%	-6.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-57.01%	-5.70%	-51.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-28.71%	-11.93%	-16.78%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.72%	6.48%	+2.24%

Volatility

WU vs. MO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for The Western Union Company (WU) is 6.81%, while Altria Group, Inc. (MO) has a volatility of 7.41%. This indicates that WU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WU	MO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.81%	7.41%	-0.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.06%	17.18%	+2.88%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.39%	22.42%	+7.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.62%	20.63%	+7.99%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.40%	22.94%	+4.46%

Dividends

WU vs. MO - Dividend Comparison

WU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.90%, more than MO's 5.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MO Altria Group, Inc.	5.97%	7.21%	7.65%	9.52%	8.05%	7.43%	8.29%	6.57%	6.07%	3.56%	3.48%	3.73%
WU The Western Union Company	11.90%	10.10%	8.87%	7.89%	6.83%	5.27%	4.10%	2.99%	4.45%	3.68%	2.95%	3.46%

Financials

WU vs. MO - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between The Western Union Company and Altria Group, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

WU - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Western Union Company reported a gross profit of 327.80M and revenue of 982.70M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 33.4%.

MO - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Altria Group, Inc. reported a gross profit of 3.51B and revenue of 5.43B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 64.6%.

WU - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Western Union Company reported an operating income of 123.00M and revenue of 982.70M, resulting in an operating margin of 12.5%.

MO - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Altria Group, Inc. reported an operating income of 2.96B and revenue of 5.43B, resulting in an operating margin of 54.5%.

WU - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Western Union Company reported a net income of 64.70M and revenue of 982.70M, resulting in a net margin of 6.6%.

MO - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Altria Group, Inc. reported a net income of 2.18B and revenue of 5.43B, resulting in a net margin of 40.2%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WU and MO in my portfolio?

WU and MO have a correlation of -0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WU or MO?

MO has higher volatility (7.41%) compared to WU (6.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WU dropped -63.10% vs MO's -65.43%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.10 vs -0.22), 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.