Canadian National Railway (CNI) vs FreightCar America (RAIL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Canadian National Railway (CNI) has outperformed FreightCar America (RAIL) over the past year, gaining 21.3% versus a loss of 38.6%. Over five years, RAIL leads with a +43.2% price change compared with -4.8% for CNI. Canadian National Railway is the larger company by market cap ($70.65 billion vs $202.2 million), about 349.5 times the size.
On valuation, FreightCar America trades at a lower forward P/E (5.8x vs 18.6x for Canadian National Railway). Canadian National Railway pays a dividend yielding 3.08%, while FreightCar America 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 | RAIL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $116.95 | $6.17 |
| Market cap | $70.65B | $202.16M |
| 1-day change | +0.09% | -0.08% |
| YTD return | +18.20% | -44.26% |
| 1-year return | +21.25% | -38.61% |
| 5-year return | -4.77% | +43.16% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 20.74 | — |
| Forward P/E | 18.56 | 5.82 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.64 | $-0.39 |
| Dividend yield | 3.08% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $3.61 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $131.55 | $14.90 |
| 52-week low | $90.74 | $6.06 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -11.10% | -58.62% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +15.36% | +137.96% |
| Average volume | 1.40M | 220.81K |
| Shares outstanding | 604.10M | 32.79M |
| Employees | 23,825 | 1,986 |
| 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
- Canadian National Railway is about 349.5 times larger than FreightCar America by market value ($70.65B vs $202.16M).
- CNI has outperformed RAIL by 59.9 percentage points over the past year.
- Canadian National Railway offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.08% 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 FreightCar America
RAIL stock →FreightCar America, Inc., through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells railcars and railcar components for the transportation of bulk commodities and containerized freight products in the United States and Mexico. The company operates through two segments: Manufacturing and Aftermarket.
Industrials · Railroads · 1,986 employees
CNI vs RAIL FAQ
Which is bigger, Canadian National Railway or FreightCar America?
Canadian National Railway (CNI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $70.65B compared with $202.16M for FreightCar America (RAIL).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CNI or RAIL?
CNI returned +21.25% over the past 12 months, compared with -38.61% for RAIL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Canadian National Railway or FreightCar America?
Canadian National Railway pays a dividend yielding 3.08%, while FreightCar America does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Canadian National Railway and FreightCar America in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Railroads industry within the Industrials sector.