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Ryanair Holdings vs United Airlines Holdings: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Ryanair carrying a narrow edge on stability. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Peer scores are normalised within each company's primary universe (RYA.IR: STOXX 600, UAL: S&P 500).

Updated 2026-07-05

The comparison is mainly decided in stability, with the rest of the profile carrying less weight.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Airlines

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. RYA.IR and UAL share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Ryanair and United Airlines each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
RYA.IR
Ryanair Holdings plc
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: STOXX 600
vs
UAL
United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
63
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in stability.

Dimension spread: RYA.IR vs UAL Profitability 61 57 Stability 47 29 Valuation 83 85 Growth 65 72 RYA.IR UAL
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +18
#2 Growth +7
#3 Profitability +4
#4 Valuation +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for RYA.IR and UAL Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer RYA.IRUAL Relative valuation Structural strength

The structural gap is limited here, but current pricing still leans against Ryanair Holdings plc.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where RYA.IR and UAL each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY RYA.IR Elevated · near norm 0th 50th 100th 4 pct gap UAL Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 95th 99th
RYA.IR (95th percentile) and UAL (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
Stability also leans toward Ryanair Holdings plc, reinforcing the broader structural lead.
Stability — Dominant Gap
RYA.IR
47
UAL
29
Gap+18in favour of RYA.IR

The stability gap is clear, with the stronger side looking materially steadier through time.

What else supports the lead

Ryanair Holdings plc also looks less cycle-sensitive, which gives the profile a calmer footing than a pure score split would imply.

What this means for the comparison

Stability is the clearest driver, and growth also supports Ryanair Holdings plc's broader structural position.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the RYA.IR vs UAL comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar stability-and-growth comparisons

Explore how RYA.IR and UAL each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.