United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) vs Waste Management, Inc. (WM)
UPS leads on 11 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of United Parcel Service, Inc. and Waste Management, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 28, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
UPS
United Parcel Service, Inc.
$108.14Industrials
WM
Waste Management, Inc.
$225.53Industrials
Total return — UPS vs WM
growth of $100 · last 27yUPS +58.7%WM +1157.1%WM compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
UPS WM
UPS vs WM: by the numbers
- •UPS is the larger company ($91.86B vs $90.57B market cap).
- •UPS trades at the lower earnings multiple (17.50 vs 32.64 P/E).
- •WM converts more revenue to profit (10.99% vs 5.94% net margin).
- •WM grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.25% vs -0.23% CAGR).
- •UPS pays the higher dividend yield (6.07% vs 1.68%).
Which is better, UPS or WM?
Metric tally: UPS 11 · WM 6It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueUPS(lower P/E)
GrowthWM(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeUPS(higher dividend yield)
QualityUPS(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | UPS | WM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 17.50● | 32.64 |
| Forward P/E | 13.65● | 24.48 |
| P/S ratio | 1.04● | 3.59 |
| P/B ratio | 5.83● | 9.10 |
| PEG ratio | 0.52● | 2.39 |
| EV / EBITDA | 10.17● | 14.85 |
| FCF yield | 4.91%● | 3.61% |
Profitability
| Metric | UPS | WM |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 17.79% | 32.06%● |
| Operating margin | 8.46% | 18.46%● |
| Net margin | 5.94% | 10.99%● |
| ROE | 33.30%● | 27.88% |
| ROIC | 10.40%● | 8.88% |
Dividends
| Metric | UPS | WM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 6.07%● | 1.68% |
| Payout ratio | 100.00% | 56.25% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | UPS | WM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -0.23% | 10.25%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 33.45%● | 13.68% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -8.72% | 7.28%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -8.00% | 11.87%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, UPS or WM?
- It depends on your goal. value: UPS (lower P/E); growth: WM (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: UPS (higher dividend yield); quality: UPS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, UPS leads 11 to 6.
- Is UPS or WM cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, UPS is cheaper: UPS trades at a 17.50 P/E and WM at 32.64.
- Which has grown faster, UPS or WM?
- Over the past five years, WM grew revenue faster — UPS at a -0.23% CAGR versus WM at 10.25%.
- Does UPS or WM pay a bigger dividend?
- UPS yields 6.07% and WM yields 1.68% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is UPS or WM more profitable?
- WM runs the higher net margin — UPS at 5.94% versus WM at 10.99%.
- Which has been the better investment, UPS or WM?
- Over the past 10-year, WM delivered the higher annualized total return — UPS at 4.24% versus WM at 15.53%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
United Parcel Service P/E ratioWaste Management P/E ratioUnited Parcel Service dividend yieldWaste Management dividend yieldUnited Parcel Service ROEWaste Management ROEUnited Parcel Service operating marginWaste Management operating marginUnited Parcel Service revenue growthWaste Management revenue growthUnited Parcel Service free cash flowWaste Management free cash flow
United Parcel Service & Waste Management appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 28, 2026.