Yield Theory

Industrials stock comparison

SWK vs UNP: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. with Union Pacific Corporation using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Industrials
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-02-24

SWK vs UNP: quick comparison

Company factSWKUNP
CompanyStanley Black & Decker, Inc.Union Pacific Corporation
ExchangeNYSENYSE
HeadquartersNot recordedOmaha, Nebraska
FoundedNot recorded1862
SEC industryCutlery, Handtools & General HardwareRailroads, Line-Haul Operating
Fiscal year-endJanuary 2December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-2410-K · 2026-02-06

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

SWK and UNP have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Economic trends research theme inside the Industrials sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (SWK)

Stanley Black & Decker makes power tools, hand tools, and industrial fastening products.

Union Pacific Corporation (UNP)

Union Pacific operates one of the largest freight-rail networks in the western United States, hauling goods ranging from grain to industrial products. Rail volumes make it a useful read on the broader goods economy.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. SWK is classified by the SEC as Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware, while UNP is classified as Railroads, Line-Haul Operating. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study SWK when…

  • Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
  • Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
  • Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
  • Freight rates and logistics demand

Study UNP when…

  • Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
  • Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
  • Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
  • Freight rates and logistics demand

Shared research themes

Economic trends

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.SWK's fiscal year ends January 2, while UNP's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for SWKand 0 for UNP. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

SWK vs UNP FAQs

Are SWK and UNP direct competitors?

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. and Union Pacific Corporation sit in the same Industrials sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

Which is better, SWK or UNP?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this SWK vs UNP comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-12. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-12. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Go beyond SWK vs UNP.

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