Canadian National Railway (CNI) vs CSX (CSX)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
CSX (CSX) has outperformed Canadian National Railway (CNI) over the past year, gaining 30.1% versus a gain of 19.4%. Over five years, CSX leads with a +37.5% price change compared with -5.7% for CNI. CSX is the larger company by market cap ($86.71 billion vs $69.92 billion), about 1.2 times the size.
On valuation, Canadian National Railway trades at a lower forward P/E (18.3x vs 20.6x for CSX). Canadian National Railway offers the higher dividend yield (3.11% vs 1.15%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CNI | CSX |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $115.75 | $46.81 |
| Market cap | $69.92B | $86.71B |
| 1-day change | -2.25% | -1.45% |
| YTD return | +17.10% | +29.13% |
| 1-year return | +19.40% | +30.06% |
| 5-year return | -5.66% | +37.47% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 20.52 | 27.22 |
| Forward P/E | 18.31 | 20.57 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.64 | $1.72 |
| Dividend yield | 3.11% | 1.15% |
| Annual dividend | $3.61 | $0.54 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $14.09B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | -3.08% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $2.89B |
| Operating margin | — | 32.08% |
| Net margin | — | 20.50% |
| 52-week high | $131.55 | $53.60 |
| 52-week low | $90.74 | $33.63 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -12.01% | -12.67% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +16.55% | +12.88% |
| Average volume | 1.41M | 11.22M |
| Shares outstanding | 604.10M | 1.85B |
| Employees | 23,825 | 22,200 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Railroads | Railroads |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- CSX has outperformed CNI by 10.7 percentage points over the past year.
- CSX trades at a higher earnings multiple (27.2x vs 20.5x trailing P/E).
- Canadian National Railway offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.11% vs 1.15%).
About Canadian National Railway
CNI stock →Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rail, intermodal, trucking, and related transportation businesses in Canada and the United States. The company provides rail services, which include equipment, customs brokerage, transloading and warehousing, business development, dimensional loads, and private railcar storage, less-than-truckload, and mexico services; intermodal services, such as temperature controlled multimodal, mobile transport trays, port partnerships, transloading and distribution, logistics parks, trucking, and supply chain services.
Industrials · Railroads · 23,825 employees
About CSX
CSX stock →CSX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides rail-based freight transportation services in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments: rail and trucking.
Industrials · Railroads · 22,200 employees
CNI vs CSX FAQ
Which is bigger, Canadian National Railway or CSX?
CSX (CSX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $86.71B compared with $69.92B for Canadian National Railway (CNI).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CNI or CSX?
CSX returned +30.06% over the past 12 months, compared with +19.40% for CNI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CNI or CSX?
CNI has the lower trailing P/E at 20.5, versus 27.2 for CSX. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Canadian National Railway or CSX?
Canadian National Railway has the higher yield at 3.11%, compared with 1.15% for CSX.
Are Canadian National Railway and CSX in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Railroads industry within the Industrials sector.