L.B. Foster (FSTR) vs FreightCar America (RAIL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
L.B. Foster (FSTR) has outperformed FreightCar America (RAIL) over the past year, gaining 36.6% versus a loss of 33.8%. Over five years, FSTR leads with a +124.0% price change compared with +45.9% for RAIL. L.B. Foster is the larger company by market cap ($372.6 million vs $202.3 million), about 1.8 times the size.
On valuation, FreightCar America trades at a lower forward P/E (5.8x vs 17.5x for L.B. Foster).
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 | FSTR | RAIL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $35.42 | $6.17 |
| Market cap | $372.61M | $202.32M |
| 1-day change | -0.28% | -1.91% |
| YTD return | +31.80% | -43.18% |
| 1-year return | +36.56% | -33.79% |
| 5-year return | +123.96% | +45.94% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 33.42 | — |
| Forward P/E | 17.49 | 5.82 |
| EPS (TTM) | $1.06 | $-0.39 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $45.81 | $14.90 |
| 52-week low | $23.81 | $6.06 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -22.68% | -58.59% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +24.22% | +137.76% |
| Average volume | 61.70K | 225.19K |
| Shares outstanding | 10.52M | 32.79M |
| Employees | 1,191 | 1,986 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Metal Fabrications | 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
- FSTR has outperformed RAIL by 70.4 percentage points over the past year.
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
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
FSTR vs RAIL FAQ
Which is bigger, L.B. Foster or FreightCar America?
L.B. Foster (FSTR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $372.61M compared with $202.32M for FreightCar America (RAIL).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, FSTR or RAIL?
FSTR returned +36.56% over the past 12 months, compared with -33.79% for RAIL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are L.B. Foster and FreightCar America in the same industry?
Both are in the Industrials sector, but in different industries: Metal Fabrications for L.B. Foster and Railroads for FreightCar America.