Canadian National Railway (CNI) vs L.B. Foster (FSTR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
L.B. Foster (FSTR) has outperformed Canadian National Railway (CNI) over the past year, gaining 32.6% versus a gain of 23.4%. Over five years, FSTR leads with a +123.3% price change compared with -4.0% for CNI. Canadian National Railway is the larger company by market cap ($71.15 billion vs $367.6 million), about 193.6 times the size.
On valuation, L.B. Foster trades at a lower forward P/E (17.3x vs 18.7x for Canadian National Railway). Canadian National Railway pays a dividend yielding 3.06%, while L.B. Foster does not currently pay one.
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 | FSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $117.78 | $34.94 |
| Market cap | $71.15B | $367.56M |
| 1-day change | +0.80% | -1.36% |
| YTD return | +19.15% | +29.65% |
| 1-year return | +23.36% | +32.65% |
| 5-year return | -4.00% | +123.33% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 20.88 | 32.96 |
| Forward P/E | 18.69 | 17.25 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.64 | $1.06 |
| Dividend yield | 3.06% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $3.61 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $131.55 | $45.81 |
| 52-week low | $90.74 | $23.81 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -10.47% | -23.73% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.54% | +25.93% |
| Average volume | 1.40M | 61.20K |
| Shares outstanding | 604.10M | 10.52M |
| Employees | 23,825 | 1,191 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Railroads | Metal Fabrications |
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
- Canadian National Railway is about 193.6 times larger than L.B. Foster by market value ($71.15B vs $367.56M).
- L.B. Foster trades at a higher earnings multiple (33.0x vs 20.9x trailing P/E).
- Canadian National Railway offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.06% vs 0.00%).
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 L.B. Foster
FSTR stock →L.B. Foster Company provides engineered and manufactured products and services for building and supporting infrastructure in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally.
Industrials · Metal Fabrications · 1,191 employees
CNI vs FSTR FAQ
Which is bigger, Canadian National Railway or L.B. Foster?
Canadian National Railway (CNI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $71.15B compared with $367.56M for L.B. Foster (FSTR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CNI or FSTR?
FSTR returned +32.65% over the past 12 months, compared with +23.36% for CNI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CNI or FSTR?
CNI has the lower trailing P/E at 20.9, versus 33.0 for FSTR. 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 L.B. Foster?
Canadian National Railway pays a dividend yielding 3.06%, while L.B. Foster does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Canadian National Railway and L.B. Foster in the same industry?
Both are in the Industrials sector, but in different industries: Railroads for Canadian National Railway and Metal Fabrications for L.B. Foster.