WU vs. VZ
WU (The Western Union Company) and VZ (Verizon Communications Inc.) are both stocks. WU operates in Credit Services (Financial Services), while VZ operates in Telecom Services (Communication Services). Over the past 10 years, WU returned -3.28%/yr vs 4.53%/yr for VZ. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
WU vs. VZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WU achieves a -12.99% return, which is significantly lower than VZ's 18.27% return. Over the past 10 years, WU has underperformed VZ with an annualized return of -3.28%, while VZ has yielded a comparatively higher 4.53% 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%
VZ
- 1D
- -2.55%
- 1M
- -1.93%
- YTD
- 18.27%
- 6M
- 18.45%
- 1Y
- 13.60%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 2.11%
- 10Y*
- 4.53%
WU vs. VZ - 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% |
VZ Verizon Communications Inc. | 18.27% | 8.86% | 13.14% | 2.71% | -20.02% | -7.55% | -0.13% | 13.83% | 11.26% | 3.97% |
Correlation
The correlation between WU and VZ is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2006 | 0.34 |
The correlation between WU and VZ shifts across timeframes, from 0.19 (1 year) to 0.34 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
WU:
$2.50B
VZ:
$196.40B
WU:
$1.36
VZ:
$4.10
WU:
5.81
VZ:
11.37
WU:
0.63
VZ:
1.42
WU:
2.75
VZ:
1.90
WU:
$4.05B
VZ:
$139.15B
WU:
$1.38B
VZ:
$81.89B
WU:
$832.80M
VZ:
$48.65B
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Return for Risk
WU vs. VZ — Risk / Return Rank
WU
VZ
WU vs. VZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Western Union Company (WU) and Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ). 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 | VZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.83 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.29 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.99 | 1.14 | -0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.32 | 1.03 | -1.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.77 | 2.22 | -2.99 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| WU | VZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.22 | 0.61 | -0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.50 | 0.10 | -0.60 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.12 | 0.22 | -0.34 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.03 | 0.23 | -0.26 |
Drawdowns
WU vs. VZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WU drawdown since its inception was -63.10%, which is greater than VZ's maximum drawdown of -50.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WU and VZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WU | VZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.10% | -50.66% | -12.44% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.20% | -13.32% | -7.88% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -36.69% | -14.93% | -21.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -57.35% | -38.38% | -18.97% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -60.15% | -41.21% | -18.94% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -57.01% | -7.84% | -49.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -28.71% | -14.75% | -13.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.72% | 6.13% | +2.59% |
Volatility
WU vs. VZ - Volatility Comparison
The Western Union Company (WU) has a higher volatility of 6.81% compared to Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) at 4.69%. This indicates that WU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| WU | VZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.81% | 4.69% | +2.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.06% | 17.48% | +2.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 30.39% | 22.27% | +8.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 28.62% | 21.54% | +7.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.40% | 20.31% | +7.09% |
Dividends
WU vs. VZ - Dividend Comparison
WU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.90%, more than VZ's 5.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VZ Verizon Communications Inc. | 5.93% | 6.68% | 6.68% | 6.96% | 6.53% | 4.85% | 4.21% | 3.95% | 4.22% | 4.39% | 4.26% | 4.79% |
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. VZ - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between The Western Union Company and Verizon Communications 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
WU vs. VZ - Profitability Comparison
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%.
VZ - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Verizon Communications Inc. reported a gross profit of 20.77B and revenue of 34.44B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.3%.
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%.
VZ - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Verizon Communications Inc. reported an operating income of 8.24B and revenue of 34.44B, resulting in an operating margin of 23.9%.
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%.
VZ - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Verizon Communications Inc. reported a net income of 5.05B and revenue of 34.44B, resulting in a net margin of 14.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
WU and VZ have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WU has higher volatility (6.81%) compared to VZ (4.69%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WU dropped -63.10% vs VZ's -50.66%.
VZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.61 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.
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