Options Skew Analytics

UNP options analytics

UNP · Stock

Data as of 23 September 2026 (end of day)

UNP options are pricing a 30-day at-the-money volatility of 24.3%, a move of about ±7.0% over the next month. That is higher than 80% of the 184 sessions in its trailing year.

Its 25-delta puts carry 0.54 volatility points more than the calls, closer together than on 99% of the past year.

The term structure is inverted: 90-day volatility is 1% below 30-day, which happens when the market prices something dated into the nearer expirations.

Its next earnings report is 2026-10-22, before the open.

Across its last 3 reports the options market priced an average move of ±4.2% and UNP moved 3.9% on average, staying inside the priced band 1 times out of 3.

Current readings

30-day ATM implied volatilityⓘ
24.32%

Prices a move of about ±7.0% over 30 days, or ±1.5% on a typical day.

Higher than 80% of the past year.

25-delta risk reversalⓘ
+0.54

Puts carry 0.54 volatility points more than calls the same distance from the money.

Lower than almost every reading of the past year.

25-delta butterflyⓘ
+0.62

The wings carry 0.62 volatility points more than at-the-money.

Term structure slopeⓘ
0.985

90-day volatility is 1% below 30-day.

Higher than 35% of the past year.

Where 30-day implied volatility sits

Against 184 prior sessions (one-year window)

24.3% — 80th percentile
16.7%38.8%
IV percentile, 1 year
80%
IV rank, 1 year
35%
IV percentile, 2 years
80%
IV rank, 2 years
35%

Rank is the position between the lowest and highest readings in the window, so a single past extreme pins everything after it near one end. Percentile is the share of sessions below the current reading and is unaffected by how far that extreme reached. Both are withheld when the window holds fewer than 180 sessions.

Session detail

Underlying close
$275.53
30-day implied forward
$276.64
60-day ATM IV
24.63%
90-day ATM IV
23.96%
180-day ATM IV
24.50%
Expirations used
10
Total open interest
47,234
Put / call open interest
0.49

The forward is derived from put-call parity on the strikes nearest the money, not taken from the underlying close. It is what every moneyness and delta on this page is measured against.

30-day at-the-money implied volatility

Last 236 sessions

10%20%30%40%50%26 Aug5 Nov14 Feb1 May23 Sep
Show the underlying numbers (most recent 120)
Session30-day ATM IV25-delta RRTerm slopeClose
2026-09-2324.32%+0.540.985$275.53
2026-09-2224.73%+0.710.985$274.41
2026-09-2124.23%+0.841.014$269.63
2026-09-1822.16%+1.071.128$279.37
2026-09-1722.17%+0.741.106$282.48
2026-09-1622.52%+1.581.105$280.92
2026-09-15———$283.99
2026-09-14———$285.08
2026-09-11———$284.40
2026-09-10———$285.78
2026-09-09———$284.74
2026-09-08———$288.45
2026-09-04———$289.62
2026-09-03———$289.15
2026-09-02———$289.73
2026-09-01———$290.62
2026-08-31———$300.67
2026-08-28———$307.41
2026-08-2722.16%+0.931.139$307.67
2026-08-26———$310.62
2026-08-25———$309.59
2026-08-24———$309.86
2026-08-21———$308.05
2026-08-2022.55%+1.161.111$303.97
2026-08-19———$301.80
2026-08-18———$298.74
2026-08-17———$299.90
2025-06-3020.01%+4.031.023$230.08
2025-06-2718.95%+3.691.055$231.41
2025-06-2619.67%+5.031.039$229.39
2025-06-2523.17%+3.500.906$226.81
2025-06-24———$227.91
2025-06-2321.15%+4.091.030$225.88
2025-06-2021.33%+3.301.065$222.51
2025-06-1822.03%+3.251.026$222.01
2025-06-1721.81%+4.621.050$220.59
2025-06-1620.73%+4.921.071$224.65
2025-06-1321.93%+5.101.045$223.37
2025-06-1220.83%+3.831.053$225.49
2025-06-11———$225.72
2025-06-1020.46%+3.691.079$226.60
2025-06-0920.94%+3.351.068$224.14
2025-06-0620.29%+3.351.097$223.43
2025-06-0522.41%+4.191.080$220.65
2025-06-0421.86%+5.051.059$220.87
2025-06-0320.61%+3.541.098$221.78
2025-06-0221.79%+3.801.069$218.89
2025-05-3021.15%+3.761.084$221.66
2025-05-2921.92%+4.821.057$222.51
2025-05-2820.69%+1.611.124$222.18
2025-05-2721.08%+3.261.102$224.35
2025-05-2321.89%+3.991.122$222.11
2025-05-2220.62%+3.971.113$222.87
2025-05-2120.94%+3.671.090$223.62
2025-05-2018.70%+2.041.153$228.33
2025-05-1919.62%+3.421.099$229.50
2025-05-1619.37%+3.431.078$231.42
2025-05-1519.67%+3.821.132$230.85
2025-05-1420.07%+3.971.092$228.34
2025-05-1320.72%+4.191.044$228.25
2025-05-1221.62%+4.131.033$230.87
2025-05-0922.22%+6.341.086$216.32
2025-05-0823.53%+4.701.014$216.84
2025-05-0725.27%+5.530.980$213.85
2025-05-0625.00%+6.600.994$213.20
2025-05-0524.40%+5.610.998$216.53
2025-05-0223.50%+4.150.979$218.29
2025-05-0124.58%+4.770.956$214.08
2025-04-30———$215.66
2025-04-2925.01%+5.070.950$214.54
2025-04-2826.18%+4.970.931$212.61
2025-04-2526.32%+5.870.921$213.29
2025-04-2426.54%+5.990.927$215.45
2025-04-2329.38%+6.870.864$219.78
2025-04-2230.32%+7.430.833$216.90
2025-04-2133.67%+6.340.834$216.05
2025-04-1729.76%+8.000.896$220.26
2025-04-1631.45%+8.320.886$216.60
2025-04-15———$220.08
2025-04-1431.06%+9.920.907$222.27
2025-04-1136.54%+10.620.825$218.59
2025-04-1038.79%+13.480.812$219.32
2025-04-09———$223.53
2025-04-08———$208.27
2025-04-07———$209.97
2025-04-04———$213.26
2025-04-0329.59%+6.580.909$223.97
2025-04-0224.62%+5.100.920$238.46
2025-04-0125.63%+3.920.847$237.17
2025-03-3125.40%+3.930.881$236.24
2025-03-2825.75%+2.630.857$232.15
2025-03-2722.43%+2.760.949$235.97
2025-03-2621.44%+3.750.984$238.03
2025-03-2521.95%+3.310.948$235.79
2025-03-2422.16%+4.020.940$235.20
2025-03-2123.06%+2.940.947$233.88
2025-03-2021.27%+3.221.045$234.79
2025-03-1922.31%+4.640.974$236.39
2025-03-1821.48%+2.681.043$237.09
2025-03-1721.91%+5.421.001$237.86
2025-03-1421.77%+3.841.024$237.53
2025-03-1325.78%+5.480.943$234.29
2025-03-1223.27%+3.370.993$237.49
2025-03-1125.32%+5.540.946$237.78
2025-03-1024.60%+3.840.926$248.29
2025-03-0722.43%+4.210.964$249.31
2025-03-0622.06%+3.851.006$245.27
2025-03-0523.39%+4.440.932$243.61
2025-03-0421.74%+6.751.041$241.52
2025-03-0322.19%+6.720.995$245.81
2025-02-2820.01%+3.511.023$246.69
2025-02-2720.94%+3.291.026$245.07
2025-02-2620.05%+3.741.021$245.48
2025-02-2520.51%+3.181.026$245.89
2025-02-2419.06%+2.851.063$242.33
2025-02-2119.60%+2.871.007$245.55
2025-02-2017.79%+2.541.105$247.65
2025-02-1918.24%+2.691.094$247.06
2025-02-1818.31%+2.661.086$251.17
2025-02-1417.94%+2.861.163$249.22

The chart covers every session in the archive, 236 in total. The table lists the most recent 120.

25-delta risk reversal

Last 236 sessions

-5.00.05.010.015.026 Aug5 Nov14 Feb1 May23 Sep

The dashed line marks zero, where the 25-delta put and call carry the same implied volatility.

Skew curve

Implied volatility by delta, front expirations

Implied volatility by delta

9d (2026-10-02) · 23d (2026-10-16) · 37d (2026-10-30)

20%22%24%26%28%2026-10-02 (9d) — 20Δ C — IV 23.90%2026-10-02 (9d) — 25Δ C — IV 23.65%2026-10-02 (9d) — 30Δ C — IV 23.50%2026-10-02 (9d) — 35Δ C — IV 23.44%2026-10-02 (9d) — 40Δ C — IV 23.46%2026-10-02 (9d) — 45Δ C — IV 23.47%2026-10-02 (9d) — ATM — IV 23.35%2026-10-02 (9d) — 45Δ P — IV 23.30%2026-10-02 (9d) — 40Δ P — IV 23.38%2026-10-02 (9d) — 35Δ P — IV 23.41%2026-10-02 (9d) — 30Δ P — IV 23.33%2026-10-02 (9d) — 25Δ P — IV 23.38%9d2026-10-16 (23d) — 10Δ C — IV 22.43%2026-10-16 (23d) — 15Δ C — IV 22.16%2026-10-16 (23d) — 20Δ C — IV 21.34%2026-10-16 (23d) — 25Δ C — IV 21.28%2026-10-16 (23d) — 30Δ C — IV 21.33%2026-10-16 (23d) — 35Δ C — IV 21.41%2026-10-16 (23d) — 40Δ C — IV 21.40%2026-10-16 (23d) — 45Δ C — IV 21.45%2026-10-16 (23d) — ATM — IV 21.66%2026-10-16 (23d) — 45Δ P — IV 21.97%2026-10-16 (23d) — 40Δ P — IV 21.98%2026-10-16 (23d) — 35Δ P — IV 22.11%2026-10-16 (23d) — 30Δ P — IV 21.96%2026-10-16 (23d) — 25Δ P — IV 21.82%2026-10-16 (23d) — 20Δ P — IV 22.25%2026-10-16 (23d) — 15Δ P — IV 22.47%23d2026-10-30 (37d) — 15Δ C — IV 26.50%2026-10-30 (37d) — 20Δ C — IV 26.57%2026-10-30 (37d) — 25Δ C — IV 26.56%2026-10-30 (37d) — 30Δ C — IV 26.42%2026-10-30 (37d) — 35Δ C — IV 26.39%2026-10-30 (37d) — 40Δ C — IV 26.28%2026-10-30 (37d) — 45Δ C — IV 25.72%2026-10-30 (37d) — ATM — IV 25.83%2026-10-30 (37d) — 45Δ P — IV 26.35%2026-10-30 (37d) — 40Δ P — IV 26.90%2026-10-30 (37d) — 35Δ P — IV 27.02%2026-10-30 (37d) — 30Δ P — IV 26.86%2026-10-30 (37d) — 25Δ P — IV 27.11%37d10Δ C25Δ CATM25Δ P10Δ Pout-of-the-money calls ← delta → out-of-the-money puts

The axis is call delta. Readings to the right of the dashed centre line are taken from the out-of-the-money put at that strike, which is the contract whose quote the volatility was solved from. Points are only plotted where surviving quotes bracket the delta on both sides; nothing is extrapolated past the last traded strike.

Show the underlying numbers
Delta9d23d37d
10Δ call—22.43%—
15Δ call—22.16%26.50%
20Δ call23.90%21.34%26.57%
25Δ call23.65%21.28%26.56%
30Δ call23.50%21.33%26.42%
35Δ call23.44%21.41%26.39%
40Δ call23.46%21.40%26.28%
45Δ call23.47%21.45%25.72%
ATM23.35%21.66%25.83%
45Δ put23.30%21.97%26.35%
40Δ put23.38%21.98%26.90%
35Δ put23.41%22.11%27.02%
30Δ put23.33%21.96%26.86%
25Δ put23.38%21.82%27.11%
20Δ put—22.25%—
15Δ put—22.47%—

Wing readings by expiration

ExpirationDaysForwardATM IV25Δ put25Δ callRRButterflyQuotes
2026-10-029$275.7523.35%23.38%23.65%-0.27+0.178
2026-10-1623$276.3521.66%21.82%21.28%+0.54-0.1115
2026-10-3037$276.9425.83%27.11%26.56%+0.54+1.008
2026-11-2058$277.5824.71%25.34%24.45%+0.89+0.1913
2026-12-1886$277.6323.96%25.18%23.49%+1.69+0.3815
2027-01-15114$277.8223.97%24.69%23.38%+1.31+0.0710
2027-02-19149$279.4824.32%25.23%23.83%+1.40+0.2019
2027-03-19177$278.8824.47%25.58%23.62%+1.95+0.1313
2027-06-17267$282.0625.10%26.45%24.33%+2.12+0.3032
2027-09-17359$284.7624.95%27.28%24.09%+3.20+0.7414

Each curve above is one expiration. The vertical position is implied volatility; the horizontal position is the delta of the contract it was read from. For US equities the curve normally slopes upward to the right, meaning out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than equidistant calls.

The 25-delta risk reversal summarises that slope as a single number: the 25-delta put volatility minus the 25-delta call volatility. The butterfly summarises the curvature: the average of the two wings minus the at-the-money reading.

Term structure

At-the-money implied volatility by expiration

At-the-money implied volatility by expiration

10 listed expirations produced a usable reading

20%22%24%26%28%2026-10-02 — 9 days — at-the-money IV 23.35%2026-10-16 — 23 days — at-the-money IV 21.66%2026-10-30 — 37 days — at-the-money IV 25.83%2026-11-20 — 58 days — at-the-money IV 24.71%2026-12-18 — 86 days — at-the-money IV 23.96%2027-01-15 — 114 days — at-the-money IV 23.97%2027-02-19 — 149 days — at-the-money IV 24.32%2027-03-19 — 177 days — at-the-money IV 24.47%2027-06-17 — 267 days — at-the-money IV 25.10%2027-09-17 — 359 days — at-the-money IV 24.95%306090180days to expiration

The horizontal axis is the square root of days to expiration, which is the scale volatility lives on. A curve that is flat in variance terms plots as a straight line here rather than bending sharply through the front week.

Show the underlying numbers
ExpirationDaysForwardATM IVATM strikeQuotes used
2026-10-029 days$275.7523.35%$275.948
2026-10-1623 days$276.3521.66%$276.7615
2026-10-3037 days$276.9425.83%$277.888
2026-11-2058 days$277.5824.71%$278.9313
2026-12-1886 days$277.6323.96%$279.5115
2027-01-15114 days$277.8223.97%$280.3210
2027-02-19149 days$279.4824.32%$282.8719
2027-03-19177 days$278.8824.47%$282.9613
2027-06-17267 days$282.0625.10%$288.6432
2027-09-17359 days$284.7624.95%$293.6114

Constant maturities

Interpolated between the bracketing listed expirations, in total variance

30 days
24.32%
60 days
24.63%
90 days
23.96%
180 days
24.50%

Interpolation is linear in total variance, not in volatility. Interpolating volatility directly implies a forward variance that can be negative between two expirations. A tenor beyond the longest listed expiration is reported as unavailable rather than extrapolated.

Term structure slope

Last 236 sessions

0.600.801.001.201.4026 Aug5 Nov14 Feb1 May23 Sep

The dashed line marks 1.00, where the 90-day and 30-day at-the-money volatilities are equal. Above it the longer tenor carries the higher volatility.

The term structure is the at-the-money implied volatility of each listed expiration, plotted against how far away that expiration is. Its usual shape for a calm underlying slopes gently upward, because a longer horizon admits more uncertainty.

It inverts when the market prices a dated event: an expiration that captures a scheduled announcement carries the variance of that event on top of ordinary trading, so a shorter contract can print a higher volatility than a longer one.

Earnings

What the options priced in before each report, and what happened

Next report

2026-10-22Before the openAnnounced

How the pricing has held up

Over the last 3 reports

Landed inside the implied band
1 of 3
33% — about 68% is what an exactly-priced event gives
Mean implied move
4.2%
Mean move that happened
3.9%
absolute

Reports

Newest first. The implied move is one standard deviation, priced from the session before the release.

ReportSessionImplied ±RealisedRealised / implied
2026-07-23Before the open———
2026-04-23Before the open———
2026-01-27Before the open———
2025-10-23Before the open———
2025-07-24Before the open———
2025-04-24Before the open4.6%-2.0%0.43×
2025-01-23Before the open5.0%+5.2%1.04×
2024-10-24Before the open3.1%-4.4%1.42×
2024-07-25Before the open———
2024-04-25Before the open———
2024-01-25Before the open———
2023-10-19Before the open———

The implied move is read from the at-the-money straddle on the first expiration strictly after the report date, converted to a one-standard-deviation move and divided by the forward. Realised moves are the close-to-close return across the event, measured from the session before the release to the session after it.

Report dates that have already happened come from the company’s own 8-K filing and are exact. A date still in the future is either one the company has announced, or an estimate from its reporting cadence.