CSX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides rail-based freight transportation services. The company offers rail services; and transportation of intermodal containers and trailers, as well as other transportation services, such as rail-to-truck transfers and bulk commodity operations. It also transports chemicals, agricultural and food products, minerals, automotive, forest products, fertilizers, and metals and equipment; and coal, coke, and iron ore to electricity-generating power plants, steel manufacturers, and industrial plants, as well as exports coal to deep-water port facilities. In addition, the company provides intermodal services through a network of approximately 30 terminals transporting manufactured consumer goods in containers; and drayage services, including the pickup and delivery of intermodal shipments. It serves the automotive industry with distribution centers and storage locations, as well as connects non-rail served customers through transferring products, such as plastics and ethanol from rail to trucks. The company operates approximately 20,000 route mile rail network, which serves various population centers in 26 states east of the Mississippi River, the District of Columbia, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as owns and leases approximately 3,500 locomotives. It serves production and distribution facilities through track connections. CSX Corporation was incorporated in 1978 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.

CSX appears to be a high-quality railroad business that is already priced rather expensively, with strong operating profitability. Gross margin of 69.37%, operating margin of 34.15%, and net margin of 22.21% are noticeably above the industry median, while ROE of 24.06% and ROA of 7.33% confirm high capital efficiency. At the same time, the year-over-year trend is generally stable: revenue, EBITDA, operating profit, and net profit are all growing, which supports the company’s valuation. On the other hand, the multiples look stretched: P/E of 29.87, P/S of 6.64, P/B of 6.79, and P/FCF of 32.55 are significantly above industry benchmarks, which limits re-rating potential. This means the market is already pricing in the strong quality of the business and the resilience of its cash flows. The balance sheet is not perfect: debt/equity of 1.22 is above the median, while a current ratio of 0.82 and quick ratio of 0.72 indicate weak short-term liquidity. The good news is that long-term debt has been declining in recent periods, while cash position and shareholders’ equity have been increasing, which mitigates debt risk. Dividend yield has fallen to zero in the latest period, so the dividend factor is currently not supporting the investment thesis. EPS and forecast EPS remain below the industry median despite growth in absolute earnings, which may reflect a higher share valuation and/or the specifics of the capital structure. Overall, the fundamentals support a moderately positive view of the business, but do not justify a significant increase in the target price because of the high relative valuation. For an investor, this is a story of quality and stability rather than cheap value, so any forecast revision should be cautious. Over a one-year horizon, limited upside is more reasonable to expect if the company continues to maintain margins and reduce leverage.

CSX Corporation

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, flat. The market is on the bulls' side.

Слабый индекс, незначительно вырос

Strong margins and earnings growth support CSX, but a high valuation on multiples and weak liquidity limit upside re-rating potential.

Key Points
CSX increased third-quarter volume by 5% and cut nonfuel costs by 3%.
Intermodal volume rose 7% year over year to an all-time record.
CSX projects full-year free cash flow growth of more than 80%.
On its third-quarter 2026earnings call held on Oct. 21, 2026, CSX (NASDAQ:CSX) announced a 30% increase in earnings per share over last year's adjusted result. Operational efficiency and steady volume growth continue to expand profit margins for long-term shareholders. Three things management said stand out.
1. Nonfuel Cost Reductions Drive Profit Margins Higher
Management reduced nonfuel operating expenses while moving more freight, expanding operating margin by over four percentage points. Better asset utilization across locomotives and lower reliance on external contractors helped offset broader inflation.
The team handled 5% more volume in the third quarter, while reducing nonfuel costs by 3%.
-- Kevin S. Boone, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
2. Highway Conversions Fuel Record Intermodal Volumes
Tight truck capacity and elevated diesel prices are forcing shippers to move freight from highways to rail networks. CSX saw intermodal shipments -- freight moved in standardized containers using multiple transport modes -- reach an all-time peak.
Total intermodal volume was up 7% year-over-year, and reached a new all time record.
-- Maryclare Kenney, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
3. Surgical Pricing Power Offsets Market Inflation
Discipline during contract renewals helps protect operating margins against persistent cost increases. Commercial teams are accelerating discretionary price increases on merchandise shipments as service consistency improves across the network.
We still expect for this year our same store sales pricing to be stronger than it was last year. And I would tell you, we have seen discretionary pricing on the merchandise accelerate as we have moved throughout the course of this year.
-- Maryclare Kenney, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
Looking Ahead
Freight momentum is building, and CSX is expanding track infrastructure to handle incoming volume. Full double-stack clearances -- stacking containers two high on railcars -- and direct connections to new industrial facilities provide structural advantages over trucking. Management is watching conductor trainee staffing and pricing discipline.
I am confident that we will achieve full year operating margin expansion of more than 350 basis points.
-- Stephen F. Angel, President and Chief Executive Officer
Systemwide efficiency gains position the railroad to compound long-term shareholder value.
Together, we have made great progress toward our goal of being best in class as we build a high performance culture that embraces continuous improvement.
-- Stephen F. Angel, President and Chief Executive Officer
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CSX: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (Symbol: MTUM) where we have detected an approximate $220.6 million dollar outflow -- that's a 1.1% decrease week over week (from 64,050,000 to 63,350,000). Among the largest underlying components of MTUM, in trading today Datadog Inc (Symbol: DDOG) is down about 0.7%, BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust (Symbol: BNY) is off about 0.6%, and CSX Corp (Symbol: CSX) is lower by about 0.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the MTUM Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of MTUM, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, MTUM's low point in its 52 week range is $229.42 per share, with $345.59 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $311.02. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further MTUM Research:

Noteworthy ETF Outflows: MTUM, DDOG, BNY, CSX

RPM International announced at its annual meeting of stockholders that its board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.57 per share, payable on October 30, 2026, to stockholders of record as of October 20, 2026. This payment represents a 5.6% increase over the $0.54 quarterly cash dividend paid at this time last year and is the 53rd consecutive year the company has increased its cash dividend. "I'm proud to announce that RPM has increased its dividend for the 53rd consecutive year. This milestone reflects the unwavering dedication of our associates, whose focus on serving customers and executing with discipline in a challenging environment continues to create lasting value for our stockholders," said Frank C. Sullivan, RPM Chairman and CEO. RPM's 53rd consecutive year of increased cash dividends paid to its stockholders places RPM in an elite category of less than half of 1 percent of all publicly traded U.S. companies. Only 38 other U.S. companies have consecutively paid an increasing annual dividend for a longer period of time, according to stockanalysis.com.
CSX announced that the Company's Board of Directors approved a $0.14 per share quarterly dividend on the Company's common stock. The dividend is payable Dec. 15, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business Nov. 30, 2026.
The Board of Directors of Zoetis has declared a dividend of $0.53 per share for the fourth quarter of 2026. The dividend will be paid on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, to all holders of record of the Company's common stock as of the close of business on Friday, October 30, 2026.
Enterprise Products Partners announced that the board of directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution to be paid to Enterprise common unitholders with respect to the third quarter of 2026 of $0.56 per unit, or $2.24 per unit on an annualized basis. This distribution represents a 2.8 percent increase over the distribution declared with respect to the third quarter of 2025. The quarterly distribution will be paid Friday, November 13, 2026, to common unitholders of record as of the close of business Friday, October 30, 2026.
The Board of Directors of Northwest Natural Holding has declared a quarterly dividend of 50 cents per share on the Company's common stock. The Company's indicated annual dividend rate is $2.00 per share, a 3-cent increase from the previous annual rate of $1.97 per share. This marks the Company's 71st consecutive year of increasing shareholder dividends and the largest declared increase since 2012. The dividend will be paid on Nov. 13, 2026, to shareholders of record on Oct. 30, 2026.

Daily Dividend Report: RPM,CSX,ZTS,EPD,NWN

CSX Corporation (CSX) looks expensive from a valuation standpoint. Considering the forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio (P/E-F12M), CSX is trading at a premium compared to the industry.
The stock has a forward 12-month P/E-F12M of 21.61X compared with 20.66X for the industry over the past five years. The company’s forward 12-month P/E-F12M ratio is also above the median level of 17.35X over the past five years. These factors indicate that the stock’s valuation is unattractive. CSX has a Value Score of F.
CSX P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months) Vs. Industry
Now, the question is whether it is worth buying, holding, or selling the CSX stock at current prices. Let us delve deeper to find out.
Headwinds Weighing on CSX Stock
Rail network issues due to headwinds like locomotive or crew/labor shortages and other service disruptions represent a major challenge for CSX. Network issues or supply chain constraints are likely to adversely impact service levels, in turn hurting operating efficiency or volume of shipments. High labor costs and elevated operating expenses are hurting the bottom line.
CSX’s service metrics weakened in second-quarter 2026 as higher-than-expected volume met tighter crew availability. Management expects sequential service improvement, but sustained volume growth could continue to test network fluidity and execution.
Coal market weakness is another headwind for CSX. The coal business remains subject to secular pressures from greener alternatives, which is leading to the planned retirement of coal units. The weak coal market has resulted in below-par coal revenues. Revenues fell 15% and volume declined 2% in 2025. In second-quarter 2026, coal revenue rose 9% and volume increased 4%, but domestic coal tonnage fell 2%. Management expects stable-to-positive conditions, yet the domestic market has declined over the last decade, and export coal remains volatile.
Macroeconomic concerns are leading to a tough freight environment. Risks associated with an economic slowdown, geopolitical tensions and tariff-induced economic uncertainty do not bode well for railroad stocks like CSX.
CSX Stock’s Price Performance
Shares of CSX stock have gained 29.5% so far this year, outperforming the Zacks Transportation - Rail industry’s 19.4% surge, as well as that of other industry players, Norfolk Southern Corporation NSC and Canadian National Railway Company (CNI), within the same time frame.
CSX Stock’s YTD Price Comparison
Factors Working in Favor of CSX Stock
CSX is benefiting from broader volume growth, pricing and cost discipline across its rail franchise. CSX's upbeat outlook for 2026 is noteworthy as well. For 2026, CSX now expects mid-to-high single-digit revenue growth (including fuel, based on the current forward curve for diesel) compared with its prior guidance of mid-single-digit revenue growth. Operating margin expansion is now anticipated to exceed 350 basis points compared with the previous expectation of around the higher end of the 200-300 basis points range. Free cash flow is now anticipated to increase more than 80% compared with the prior expectation of growth of more than 60%.
CSX’s focus on improving workplace safety for employees is also commendable. CSX continues to reduce incidents through training, technology and operating discipline. As a reflection of this, the Federal Railroad Administration or FRA Personal Injury Frequency Index, a measure of the number of FRA-reportable injuries per 200,000 man-hours, improved to 0.94 in 2025 from 1.23 in 2024, while the train accident rate fell to 3.08 from 3.56. In second-quarter 2026, the injury rate improved another 19% year over year to 0.83, and the train accident rate improved 30% to 2.72. Management plans further gains through risk awareness, field engagement and applied technology.
CSX's consistent efforts to strengthen its relations with its employees are reflected through the ratification of multiple collective bargaining agreements with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers & Helpers; the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.Such deals reflect the employee-friendly attitude of CSX, through which it strives to maintain cordial relations with its employees and the unions representing them, thereby providing a healthy work environment at CSX.
CSX’s continued use of dividends and share repurchases reflects a disciplined capital-allocation policy.Such shareholder-friendly initiatives should boost investor confidence and positively impact the bottom line.
What Do Earnings Estimates Say for CSX?
The positive sentiment surrounding CSX stock is evident from the fact that the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the third quarter of 2026 earnings has been revised upward in the past 90 days. The consensus mark for full-year 2026 and 2027 earnings has also been projected upward in the past 90 days.
The favorable estimate revisions indicate brokers’ confidence in the stock.
Time to Retain CSX Stock
CSX’s outlook is supported by better volume, pricing and cost execution, with management raising its full-year revenue, margin and free cash flow expectations. Safety trends also remain favorable, while broader labor agreements and continued dividends and share repurchases support the operating and shareholder-return profile.
Despite capital returns remaining solid, we advise investors not to buy CSX stock now. Service execution still needs work after higher dwell and weaker trip-plan performance in the second quarter. Coal remains exposed to long-term domestic demand decline and export-rate volatility despite a better near-term backdrop. Rail network issues due to headwinds like locomotive or crew/labor shortages and other service disruptions and weakness pertaining to freight revenues and volumes, continue to weigh on CSX performance. Unattractive valuation acts as another concern.
Considering all the aforesaid factors, we advise investors to wait for a better entry point. For those who already own the stock, it will be prudent to stay invested. The company’s current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) justifies our analysis. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Should Investors Hold CSX Stock Despite Its Higher Valuation?

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLI) where we have detected an approximate $305.4 million dollar outflow -- that's a 0.9% decrease week over week (from 184,976,000 to 183,226,000). Among the largest underlying components of XLI, in trading today CSX Corp (Symbol: CSX) is up about 1.1%, 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is up about 0.3%, and Emerson Electric Co. (Symbol: EMR) is higher by about 1.5%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the XLI Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of XLI, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, XLI's low point in its 52 week range is $147.135 per share, with $188.19 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $175.35. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further XLI Research:

Notable ETF Outflow Detected - XLI, CSX, MMM, EMR

Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, on 8/31/26, CSX Corp (Symbol: CSX) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.14, payable on 9/15/26. As a percentage of CSX's recent stock price of $51.50, this dividend works out to approximately 0.27%.
In general, dividends are not always predictable; but looking at the history above can help in judging whether the most recent dividend from CSX is likely to continue, and whether the current estimated yield of 1.09% on annualized basis is a reasonable expectation of annual yield going forward. The chart below shows the one year performance of CSX shares, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, CSX's low point in its 52 week range is $31.80 per share, with $53.60 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $51.62.
According to the ETF Finder at ETF Channel, CSX makes up 9.35% of the iShares U.S. Transportation ETF (Symbol: IYT) which is trading lower by about 0.9% on the day Thursday. (see other ETFs holding CSX).
In Thursday trading, CSX Corp shares are currently off about 0.5% on the day.
Click here to learn which 25 S.A.F.E. dividend stocks should be on your radar screen »
Further CSX Research:

Cash Dividend On The Way From CSX

CSX Corporation (CSX) has performed well in the past year and has the potential to sustain the momentum in the future. If you have not taken advantage of its share price appreciation yet, it’s time to do so.
Against this backdrop, let’s look at the factors that make this stock an attractive pick.
What Makes CSX an Attractive Pick?
An Outperformer: A glimpse at the company’s price trend reveals that the stock has had an impressive run over the past year. Shares of CSX have gained 42.8% so far this year, outperforming the 31.8% surge of the Transportation - Rail industry it belongs to.
CSX Stock YTD Price Comparison
Solid Zacks Rank: CSX presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Our research shows that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 offer the best investment opportunities. Thus, the company is a compelling investment proposition at the moment.
Northward Estimate Revisions: The direction of estimate revisions serves as an important pointer when it comes to the price of a stock. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 earnings has moved 5.88% north in the past 60 days. For the full year 2026 and 2027, the consensus mark for earnings has been revised upward by 5.26% and 3.72%, respectively, in the same time frame. The favorable estimate revisions indicate brokers’ confidence in the stock.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Positive Earnings Surprise History: CSX has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter), delivering an average beat of 3.97%.
Earnings Expectations: Earnings growth and stock price gains often indicate a company’s prospects. For third-quarter 2026, CSX’s earnings are expected to improve 22.73% year over year. For full year 2026 and 2027, CSX’s earnings are expected to improve 24.22% and 11.58% year over year, respectively.
Growth Factors: CSX Corporation's focus on improving workplace safety for employees is commendable. CSX's consistent efforts to strengthen its relations with its employees are reflected through the ratification of multiple collective bargaining agreements with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers & Helpers. Such deals reflect the employee-friendly attitude of CSX, through which it strives to maintain cordial relations with its employees and the unions representing them, thereby providing a healthy work environment at CSX.
CSX’s continued use of dividends and share repurchases reflects a disciplined capital-allocation policy. Such shareholder-friendly initiatives should boost investor confidence and benefit the bottom line.
CSX’s upbeat outlook for 2026 is noteworthy as well. For 2026, the company now expects mid-to high single-digit revenue growth (including fuel, based on the current forward curve for diesel) compared with its prior guidance of mid-single-digit revenue growth. Operating margin expansion is now anticipated to exceed 350 basis points compared with the previous expectation of around the higher end of the 200-300 basis points range. Free cash flow is now anticipated to increase more than 80% compared with the prior expectation of growth of more than 60%.
Other Stocks to Consider
Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. EXPD and Seanergy Maritime Holdings SHIP as well.
Expeditors currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
EXPD has an expected earnings growth rate of 28.6% for 2026. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 17.15%.
Seanergy Maritime Holdings currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.
SHIP has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 38%.
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Here's Why Investors Should Add CSX Stock to Their Portfolio

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (Symbol: IFRA) where we have detected an approximate $267.7 million dollar outflow -- that's a 5.8% decrease week over week (from 75,300,000 to 70,900,000). Among the largest underlying components of IFRA, in trading today CSX Corp (Symbol: CSX) is up about 0.8%, Norfolk Southern Corp (Symbol: NSC) is up about 1%, and United Rentals Inc (Symbol: URI) is lower by about 0.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IFRA Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IFRA, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IFRA's low point in its 52 week range is $50.66 per share, with $64.25 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $60.71. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further IFRA Research:

IFRA, CSX, NSC, URI: ETF Outflow Alert

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (Symbol: JEPQ) where we have detected an approximate $481.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.2% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 685,125,000 to 693,200,000). Among the largest underlying components of JEPQ, in trading today CSX Corp (Symbol: CSX) is down about 0.2%, Teradyne, Inc. (Symbol: TER) is up about 6.9%, and Monster Beverage Corp (Symbol: MNST) is lower by about 0.2%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the JEPQ Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of JEPQ, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, JEPQ's low point in its 52 week range is $53.51 per share, with $61.72 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $60.06. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further JEPQ Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

JEPQ, CSX, TER, MNST: Large Inflows Detected at ETF

The Zacks Transportation - Railindustry faces challenges, ranging from tariff-induced economic uncertainties, inflationary pressures and resultant high interest rates to concerns pertaining to supply-chain disruptions. High fuel costs, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, have been hurting the bottom-line growth of industry players.
Despite the challenges surrounding the industry, Union Pacific Corporation UNP, CSX Corporation CSX and Norfolk Southern Corporation NSC appear better placed to tide over the challenges.
Industry Description
The Zacks Transportation - Rail industry includes railroad operators transporting freight (such as agricultural products, industrial products, coal, intermodal, automotive, consumer products, metals and minerals), primarily across North America. These companies focus on providing logistics and supply-chain expertise services. While freight constitutes a significant chunk of revenues, some of these companies also derive a small portion of their top line from other rail-related services, including third-party railcar and locomotive repairs, routine land sales and container sales, among others. A few companies offer services to multiple production and distribution facilities. Besides locomotives, some of these companies own equipment of leased locomotives, railcars, etc.
Factors Deciding the Industry's Outlook
Strong Financial Returns for Shareholders:With economic activities gaining pace from the pandemic lows, more and more companies are allocating their increasing cash pile through dividends and buybacks to pacify long-suffering shareholders. This underlines their financial strength and confidence in the business. Among the Transportation – Railroad industry players, CSX's board of directorsapproved a dividend hike of 7.6%, thereby raising its quarterly cash dividend to 14 cents per share (56 cents annualized) from 13 cents (52 cents annualized) in February 2026.
Surge in Fuel Costs: A Bane: With the United States and Iran pausing military strikes, oil prices have started to drop from the highs touched following the recent attacks by Iran and the Houthi militant group and subsequent retaliation by the United States. However, oil prices surged almost 36% from the beginning of 2026 to date. As fuel expenses represent a key input cost for any transportation player, a rise in oil prices does not bode well for the bottom-line growth of railroad stocks.
Economic Uncertainty Remains: Tariff tensions have led to escalated trade woes across the globe. These tariff-induced economic uncertainties do not bode well for industry participants. With inflation remaining a concern, risks associated with an economic slowdown and geopolitical tensions dampen the prospects of stocks belonging to this industrial cohort. Sluggish economic growth and inflationary woes are likely to make markets more volatile in the coming days. Ongoing economic uncertainty does not bode well for industry players. Tariff-induced economic uncertainties and trade tensions may create uncertainty for investors interested in the industry.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Encouraging Prospects
The Zacks Transportation Railroad industry, housed within the broader Zacks Transportation sector, currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #63. This rank places it in the top 26% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Before we present a few stocks that investors can buy, given their growth prospects, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and current valuation.
Industry Outperforms S&P 500 & Sector
The Zacks Transportation - Rail industry has outperformed the Zacks S&P 500 Composite as well as the broader sector over the past year.
Over this period, the industry has gained 31.8% compared with the S&P 500 Index’s northward movement of 26.5%. The broader sector has surged 24.1%.
One-Year Price Performance
Industry's Current Valuation
Based on the trailing 12-month price-to-book (P/B), a commonly used multiple for valuing railroad stocks, the industry is currently trading at 7.30X compared with the S&P 500’s 7.38X. It is above the sector’s P/B ratio of 4.19X.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 10.92X, as low as 5.40X and at the median of 6.91X.
3 Stocks to Keep an Eye On
We are presenting three Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stocks that are well-positioned to grow in the near term. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Union Pacific: Headquartered in Omaha, NE, Union Pacific, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States.
Relatively stable e-commerce demand, cost-cutting efforts to boost the bottom line and consistent initiatives to reward its shareholders through dividend payments and share repurchases bode well for UNP’s prospects. Further, UNP has a solid track record with respect to earnings surprises. The company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the past four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter), with an average beat of 2.75%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UNP’s 2026 earnings has moved up 2.9% over the past 60 days. UNP’s expected earnings growth rate for 2026 is 10.63%.
Price and Consensus: UNP
CSX: Based in Jacksonville, FL, CSX offers rail-based freight transportation services like traditional rail service, transport of intermodal containers and trailers and rail-to-truck transfers.
CSX's consistent efforts to continue rewarding its shareholders by paying dividends and buying back shares look encouraging. The company's focus onimproving workplace safety for employees is commendable. For 2026, CSX now expects mid-to high single-digit revenue growth (including fuel, based on the current forward curve for diesel) compared with its prior guidance of mid-single-digit revenue growth. Operating margin expansion is now anticipated to exceed 350 basis points compared with the previous expectation of around the higher end of the 200-300 basis points range. Free cash flow is now anticipated to increase more than 80% compared with the prior expectation of growth of more than 60%.
CSX has a solid earnings surprise history. The company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the past four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter), with an average beat of 3.97%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CSX's 2026 earnings has moved up 5.2% over the past 60 days. CSX has an expected earnings growth rate of 24.22% for 2026.
Price and Consensus: CSX
Norfolk Southern: Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Norfolk Southern engages in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods in the United States.
E-commerce continues to support long-term intermodal demand for Norfolk Southern, even as near-term volume trends remain uneven. The company is leaning on Precision Scheduled Railroading to tighten execution and sustain a lower cost structure, while its decarbonization agenda and customer tools reinforce rail’s value proposition. Liquidity remains adequate to fund the network and a steady dividend.
NSC has a solid earnings surprise history. The company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the past four quarters, with an average beat of 8.54%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NSC's 2026 earnings has moved up 3.9% over the past 60 days. NSC has an expected earnings growth rate of 0.88% for 2026.
Price and Consensus: NSC
Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"
Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.
This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.