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CSX (CSX)
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CSX (CSX) AI Stock Analysis

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CSX

CSX

(NASDAQ:CSX)

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Neutral 68 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:68Neutral
Price Target:
$36.00
â–²(9.86% Upside)
CSX's overall score reflects strong financial performance and promising strategic initiatives, despite current revenue and earnings challenges. Technical indicators and valuation suggest a stable outlook, while the earnings call highlights potential for future growth driven by operational improvements and infrastructure projects.
Positive Factors
Operational Improvements
Enhanced operational efficiency can lead to sustained cost savings and improved service reliability, strengthening CSX's competitive position.
Infrastructure Projects
Completion of these projects will enhance network capacity and service levels, supporting long-term growth in intermodal transport.
Customer Satisfaction
High customer satisfaction can lead to increased customer retention and new business opportunities, driving future revenue growth.
Negative Factors
Revenue Decline
A decline in revenue, particularly from key segments like coal, can impact profitability and limit resources for future investments.
Operating Margin Pressure
Decreased operating margins may indicate challenges in maintaining cost efficiency, affecting long-term profitability.
Challenges in Coal Segment
Continued challenges in the coal segment could hinder revenue growth, given its significance to CSX's business model.

CSX (CSX) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

CSX Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCSX 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 transports chemicals, agricultural and food products, automotive, minerals, 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. The company also offers intermodal transportation 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 19,500 route mile rail network, which serves various population centers in 23 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 also serves production and distribution facilities through track connections. CSX Corporation was incorporated in 1978 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.
How the Company Makes MoneyCSX generates revenue primarily through freight transportation services, charging customers for moving goods across its rail network. The company has several key revenue streams, including coal, intermodal, and merchandise freight. Coal transportation remains a significant part of CSX's business, while intermodal services, which involve transporting shipping containers and trailers on the railway, have seen growth due to increased demand for efficient logistics solutions. Additionally, CSX benefits from long-term contracts and partnerships with major industries, which provide a steady revenue flow. The company also invests in technology and infrastructure improvements to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs, contributing to overall profitability.

CSX Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Segment
Revenue by Segment
Highlights revenue from different business segments, showing which areas drive growth and profitability, and indicating strategic focus or potential vulnerabilities.
Chart InsightsCSX's merchandise revenue shows resilience and growth, driven by improved service levels, while coal and intermodal segments face revenue declines due to pricing pressures and operational challenges. The earnings call highlights operational recovery and infrastructure projects that promise future capacity enhancements, particularly for intermodal. Despite a year-over-year revenue dip, sequential improvements and strong customer engagement signal potential for volume growth. The completion of key projects by Q4 could alleviate network constraints, boosting CSX's competitive edge in the long term.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

CSX Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 23, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 15, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflects a company that is recovering from early-year challenges with significant improvements in operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Despite these gains, financial metrics such as revenue and earnings per share showed declines year-over-year due to external factors like coal and fuel prices. The positive trajectory in service and cost management indicates potential for future growth, though market uncertainties remain.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Operational Improvements and Service Recovery
The network performance improved significantly with metrics such as velocity, dwell, and trip plan compliance trending upward. Cars online and dwell metrics returned to levels prior to disruptions, and there was a reduction in life-changing injuries and missed workdays.
Cost Management and Margin Expansion
Improved cost performance led to a 550 basis point sequential increase in operating margin. Overtime expenses reduced by over 15% in May and June relative to the first four months of the year.
Progress on Infrastructure Projects
Significant progress on Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge rebuild projects, expected to complete in Q4, which will unlock significant capacity for the network and improve service levels.
Positive Customer Feedback
The Net Promoter Score with customers was the highest it's ever been, indicating strong customer satisfaction with service improvements.
Sequential Financial Improvements
Earnings per share grew by 29% quarter-over-quarter despite a 10% year-over-year decrease. Operating income increased by $242 million from Q1.
Negative Updates
Revenue Decline
Total revenue was $3.6 billion for the quarter, down 3% from the same period last year, largely due to lower coal and fuel prices.
Operating Margin and Earnings Pressure
Reported operating margin declined by 320 basis points compared to the second quarter of 2024. Earnings per share decreased by 10% year-over-year.
Challenges in Coal Segment
Coal revenue declined 15% for the quarter on 1% higher volume, facing headwinds from lower global benchmark pricing and production constraints.
Mixed Market Conditions
Industrial markets served by CSX faced challenges due to uncertainty around tariffs, trade, interest rates, and overall economic direction. Specific segments like automotive and forest products were impacted by lower demand and production challenges.
Company Guidance
During the Q2 2025 earnings call, CSX Corporation provided guidance indicating a focus on maintaining operational momentum and pursuing volume growth for the full year, despite mixed market conditions. Key metrics highlighted include a total volume that remained flat year-over-year but saw a 4% sequential increase, driven by merchandise and coal shipments. Total revenue for the quarter was $3.6 billion, down 3% from the previous year due to lower coal and fuel prices, though it improved 4% quarter-over-quarter. The reported operating margin decreased by 320 basis points compared to Q2 2024 but increased by 550 basis points sequentially, supported by improved cost performance. Earnings per share decreased by 10% year-over-year but grew by 29% quarter-over-quarter. The company emphasized ongoing projects, such as the Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge rebuild, expected to complete in Q4, which will remove network constraints and enable double-stack intermodal transport on the I-95 corridor. CSX also highlighted a significant service recovery and operational improvements, with strategic initiatives aimed at sustainable growth and customer service enhancements.

CSX Financial Statement Overview

Summary
CSX demonstrates strong profitability and efficient operations. The balance sheet is robust with improved leverage ratios, though cash flow stability is under pressure due to a recent decline in free cash flow growth. Overall, CSX maintains a solid financial position in the railroads industry.
Income Statement
78
Positive
CSX has maintained stable profitability with a Gross Profit Margin of 34.54% and a Net Profit Margin of 21.91% over the TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). Despite a slight revenue decline of 3% annually, the company shows efficient cost management reflected in an EBIT Margin of 33.79% and an EBITDA Margin of 39.86%.
Balance Sheet
75
Positive
The balance sheet reflects moderate leverage with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.09 in the TTM, significantly improved from previous years. The Equity Ratio stands at 28.83%, showing a solid equity position. However, the Return on Equity has slightly decreased to 25.06%, indicating potential risks in equity returns.
Cash Flow
72
Positive
CSX's cash flow shows a Free Cash Flow Growth Rate decline of 26.19% in the TTM, although the Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio remains strong at 1.60. The Free Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is 0.65, indicating a solid ability to generate cash relative to net income despite the recent decline.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue14.15B14.54B14.66B14.85B12.52B10.58B
Gross Profit4.89B5.51B5.60B5.93B5.29B4.44B
EBITDA6.59B7.07B7.27B7.66B7.09B5.76B
Net Income3.10B3.47B3.67B4.17B3.78B2.77B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets42.93B42.76B42.21B41.91B40.53B39.79B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments393.00M1.00B1.44B2.09B2.32B3.13B
Total Debt19.65B18.99B19.02B18.54B16.84B17.16B
Total Liabilities30.55B30.26B30.23B29.29B27.03B26.68B
Stockholders Equity12.38B12.50B11.98B12.63B13.50B13.11B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow2.01B2.72B3.27B3.49B3.31B2.64B
Operating Cash Flow4.96B5.25B5.55B5.62B5.10B4.26B
Investing Cash Flow-3.01B-2.60B-2.29B-2.13B-1.88B-649.00M
Financing Cash Flow-2.80B-3.06B-3.87B-3.77B-4.11B-1.44B

CSX Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price32.77
Price Trends
50DMA
34.13
Negative
100DMA
32.55
Positive
200DMA
31.88
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.52
Negative
RSI
44.39
Neutral
STOCH
66.97
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CSX, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 32.77 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 32.89, below the 50-day MA of 34.13, and above the 200-day MA of 31.88, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.52 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 44.39 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 66.97 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CSX.

CSX Risk Analysis

CSX disclosed 19 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. CSX reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

CSX Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
79
Outperform
62.37B18.7922.66%1.94%0.71%86.84%
76
Outperform
128.79B18.7642.66%2.49%1.06%8.13%
71
Outperform
29.80B28.7125.88%0.78%-5.54%-12.26%
69
Neutral
71.35B12.6734.59%7.78%0.94%9.62%
68
Neutral
$60.59B19.9724.83%1.57%-3.27%-10.73%
66
Neutral
81.35B18.1321.19%2.69%0.63%-14.20%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CSX
CSX
32.77
-0.76
-2.27%
CNI
Canadian National Railway
94.66
-19.50
-17.08%
NSC
Norfolk Southern
278.00
34.08
13.97%
ODFL
Old Dominion Freight
141.79
-53.71
-27.47%
UNP
Union Pacific
217.17
-28.19
-11.49%
UPS
United Parcel
84.18
-38.68
-31.48%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Sep 18, 2025