Norfolk Southern [NSC] vs Canadian National [CNI] Detailed Stock Comparison

TLDR: Quick Comparison Summary

Based on 20 vital metrics comparison: Norfolk Southern wins in 6 metrics, Canadian National wins in 14 metrics, with 0 ties. Canadian National appears stronger overall.

View Metrics Details

Vital Metrics Comparison

MetricNorfolk SouthernCanadian NationalBetter
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.6217.49Canadian National
Price-to-Book Ratio4.412.67Canadian National
Debt-to-Equity Ratio121.0697.21Canadian National
PEG Ratio4.022.55Canadian National
EV/EBITDA13.268.96Canadian National
Profit Margin (TTM)27.51%26.62%Norfolk Southern
Operating Margin (TTM)37.27%41.29%Canadian National
EBITDA Margin (TTM)37.27%41.29%Canadian National
Return on Equity24.13%22.30%Norfolk Southern
Return on Assets (TTM)6.75%7.75%Canadian National
Free Cash Flow (TTM)$1.67B$2.28BCanadian National
Dividend Yield1.61%1.81%Canadian National
1-Year Return19.52%-20.64%Norfolk Southern
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)5.353.35Canadian National
Enterprise Value$80.32B$57.25BNorfolk Southern
EV/Revenue Ratio6.604.61Canadian National
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)39.71%42.77%Canadian National
Revenue per Share (TTM)$54$27Norfolk Southern
Earnings per Share (Diluted)$14.81$5.26Norfolk Southern
Beta (Stock Volatility)1.290.86Canadian National
Performance
News Sentiment
Key Stats
Valuation
Financials
Short Interest
Dividends

Norfolk Southern vs Canadian National Stock Performance Analysis

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Performance Comparison

Short-term Returns

Stock1D1W1M3M6MYTD
Norfolk Southern0.43%4.21%6.19%15.42%25.88%25.56%
Canadian National0.27%-1.19%-2.65%-8.86%-6.05%-9.29%

Long-term Returns

Stock1Y3Y5Y10Y15Y20Y
Norfolk Southern19.52%40.51%38.52%272.83%399.10%626.26%
Canadian National-20.64%-14.44%-13.34%58.95%188.12%420.56%

News Based Sentiment: Norfolk Southern vs Canadian National

Norfolk Southern

News based Sentiment: POSITIVE

September was a pivotal month for Norfolk Southern, marked by a potential transformative merger with Union Pacific, boosted by a presidential endorsement, and supported by growing institutional investment. While the merger is still years away and subject to regulatory approval, the positive developments significantly enhance the company's long-term prospects.

View Norfolk Southern News Sentiment Analysis

Canadian National

News based Sentiment: MIXED

September presented a mixed bag for CNI, with a positive dividend increase and some institutional investment countered by disappointing Q2 results and lowered guidance. While the company continues to prioritize shareholder returns and safety, near-term growth prospects appear uncertain, resulting in a 'mixed' sentiment.

View Canadian National News Sentiment Analysis

Performance & Financial Health Analysis: Norfolk Southern vs Canadian National

MetricNSCCNI
Market Information
Market Cap i$66.11B$57.53B
Market Cap CategoryLarge capLarge cap
10 Day Avg. Volume i2,058,7191,928,324
90 Day Avg. Volume i2,015,9561,894,608
Last Close$294.57$92.40
52 Week Range$201.63 - $296.38$91.07 - $118.23
% from 52W High-0.61%-21.85%
All-Time High$299.20 (Dec 27, 2021)$137.19 (Mar 28, 2022)
% from All-Time High-1.55%-32.65%
Growth Metrics
Quarterly Revenue Growth0.02%-0.01%
Quarterly Earnings Growth0.04%0.05%
Financial Health
Profit Margin (TTM) i0.28%0.27%
Operating Margin (TTM) i0.37%0.41%
Return on Equity (TTM) i0.24%0.22%
Debt to Equity (MRQ) i121.0697.21
Cash & Liquidity
Book Value per Share (MRQ)$65.83$34.44
Cash per Share (MRQ)$5.80$0.35
Operating Cash Flow (TTM) i$4.20B$4.84B
Levered Free Cash Flow (TTM) i$1.45B$1.66B
Dividends
Last 12-Month Dividend Yield i1.61%1.81%
Last 12-Month Dividend i$4.05$1.84

Valuation & Enterprise Metrics Analysis: Norfolk Southern vs Canadian National

MetricNSCCNI
Price Ratios
P/E Ratio (TTM) i19.6217.49
Forward P/E i21.4015.52
PEG Ratio i4.022.55
Price to Sales (TTM) i5.353.35
Price to Book (MRQ) i4.412.67
Market Capitalization
Market Capitalization i$66.11B$57.53B
Enterprise Value i$80.32B$57.25B
Enterprise Value Metrics
Enterprise to Revenue i6.604.61
Enterprise to EBITDA i13.268.96
Risk & Other Metrics
Beta i1.290.86
Book Value per Share (MRQ) i$65.83$34.44

Financial Statements Comparison: Norfolk Southern vs Canadian National

Financial Metrics

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Revenue

EBITDA

Shareholders Equity

Operating Margin

Free Cash Flow

Long Term Debt

Profit Margin

Current Ratio

Operating Cash Flow

Income Statement (MRQ)

Metric (MRQ)NSCCNI
Revenue/Sales i$3.11B$3.09B
Cost of Goods Sold i$1.88B$1.77B
Gross Profit i$1.24B$1.32B
Research & Development iN/AN/A
Operating Income (EBIT) i$1.23B$1.18B
EBITDA i$1.60B$1.64B
Pre-Tax Income i$998.00M$1.13B
Income Tax i$230.00M$280.94M
Net Income (Profit) i$768.00M$846.42M

Balance Sheet & Liquidity Metrics (MRQ)

Metric (MRQ)NSCCNI
Cash & Equivalents i$1.01B$156.59M
Total Current Assets i$2.70B$2.08B
Total Current Liabilities i$3.45B$2.54B
Long-Term Debt i$16.66B$14.23B
Total Shareholders Equity i$14.51B$15.61B
Retained Earnings i$12.30B$13.92B
Property, Plant & Equipment i$49.99B$34.82B

Cash Flow Statement Comparison (MRQ)

Metric (MRQ)NSCCNI
Operating Cash Flow i$973.00M$1.34B
Capital Expenditures i$-431.00M$-583.59M
Free Cash Flow i$501.00M$681.46M
Debt Repayment i$-1.00M$-4.61B
Common Stock Repurchase i$-257.00M$-219.66M

Short Interest & Institutional Ownership Analysis

MetricNSCCNI
Shares Short i2.94M9.12M
Short Ratio i1.095.38
Short % of Float i0.01%N/A
Average Daily Volume (10 Day) i2,058,7191,928,324
Average Daily Volume (90 Day) i2,015,9561,894,608
Shares Outstanding i226.32M455.22M
Float Shares i224.19M606.83M
% Held by Insiders i0.00%0.03%
% Held by Institutions i0.81%0.75%

Dividend Analysis & Yield Comparison: Norfolk Southern vs Canadian National

MetricNSCCNI
Last 12-Month Dividend i$4.05$1.84
Last 12-Month Dividend Yield i1.61%1.81%
3-Year Avg Annual Dividend i$4.88$2.17
3-Year Avg Dividend Yield i0.56%0.52%
3-Year Total Dividends i$14.63$6.52
Ex-Dividend DateFeb 07, 2025Mar 10, 2025