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Freightcar America (RAIL)
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Freightcar America (RAIL) AI Stock Analysis

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RAIL

Freightcar America

(NASDAQ:RAIL)

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Neutral 56 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:56Neutral
Price Target:
$8.00
▼(-16.49% Downside)
Freightcar America's stock score is primarily influenced by its financial performance, which shows signs of recovery but is hindered by financial instability and cash flow issues. The technical analysis indicates bearish momentum, while the valuation suggests the stock may be undervalued. The strong earnings call performance is not factored into the score due to its exclusion from the weighted calculation.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
The significant revenue growth indicates strong demand for FreightCar America's products, suggesting a robust market position and potential for continued expansion.
Operational Efficiency
Enhancements in operational efficiency can lead to sustained margin improvements and profitability, strengthening the company's competitive position.
Market Position
A strong backlog and significant market share highlight FreightCar America's competitive advantage and ability to secure future revenue streams.
Negative Factors
Financial Instability
Negative equity and high leverage pose risks to financial stability, potentially limiting the company's ability to invest in growth and weather economic downturns.
Industry Demand Challenges
Persistently low industry demand could pressure FreightCar America's sales and profitability, challenging its ability to maintain growth momentum.
Cash Flow Management
Inefficient cash flow management may hinder the company's capacity to fund operations and strategic initiatives, impacting long-term growth prospects.

Freightcar America (RAIL) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Freightcar America Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionFreightCar America, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of railcars and a provider of railcar leasing services in the North American market. The company specializes in producing a diverse range of railcars, including covered hoppers, gondolas, and intermodal cars, catering to various industries such as coal, agriculture, and chemicals. FreightCar America operates through two primary segments: railcar manufacturing and railcar leasing, focusing on innovation and sustainability in the rail transportation sector.
How the Company Makes MoneyFreightCar America generates revenue primarily through the sale of railcars and leasing services. The manufacturing segment earns income by producing new railcars tailored to customer specifications, with contracts typically tied to volume and pricing agreements that can fluctuate based on market demand. The railcar leasing segment provides a steady revenue stream by leasing railcars to customers for specified periods, which includes maintenance and management services. Key revenue drivers include strong relationships with major rail operators and freight companies, and the company's ability to adapt to market trends, such as increasing demand for environmentally friendly railcar designs. Additionally, strategic partnerships with suppliers and industry stakeholders enhance its competitive advantage and revenue potential.

Freightcar America Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 10, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 24, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
FreightCar America demonstrated strong operational performance with significant revenue growth and record adjusted EBITDA. The company effectively managed challenges in the broader railcar industry, maintaining a healthy backlog and achieving market share growth. However, there are still industry demand challenges and a revenue guidance adjustment that reflect current market conditions.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Significant Revenue Growth
FreightCar America achieved a revenue growth of over 42% in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year.
Record Adjusted EBITDA
The company reported a record adjusted EBITDA of $17 million, a 56% increase from the prior year, marking the most profitable quarter since relocating production to Mexico.
Improvement in Margins
Gross margin increased to 15.1%, and adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 10.6%, representing an improvement of 80 basis points and 100 basis points, respectively, from the previous year.
Healthy Backlog and Market Position
The company maintained a healthy backlog of 2,750 units valued at approximately $222 million, achieving over 20% of the addressable market order share for new car orders.
Operational Efficiency and Initiatives
Operational improvements in safety, quality, throughput, and cost structure at the Castanos facility contributed to record EBITDA performance. Initiatives like TrueTrack digital integration and enhancements to plant layout aim to improve flow, productivity, and margins.
Negative Updates
Industry Demand Challenges
The broader railcar industry continues to operate below long-term replacement levels, with total deliveries expected to remain under 30,000 railcars for the year, well below the normalized rate of approximately 40,000 units.
Revenue Guidance Adjustment
While maintaining adjusted EBITDA and unit count guidance, the company adjusted its revenue range down to $500 to $530 million due to a higher proportion of conversions, which have a lower average selling price.
Non-Cash Charge Impact
A reported net loss of $7.4 million included a $17.6 million non-cash charge related to the change in warrant liability, impacting reported net income despite operational performance improvements.
Company Guidance
During the call, FreightCar America provided guidance that highlights their strong performance in the third quarter of 2025. The company reported a 42% increase in revenue, with gross margins expanding to 15.1%. They achieved a record adjusted EBITDA of $17 million, marking their most profitable quarter since relocating production to Mexico. The company's backlog stands at 2,750 units valued at approximately $222 million. Despite industry-wide order activity being below long-term replacement levels, FreightCar America maintained a 20% market share of addressable market orders for new railcars. The company reaffirmed its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance and railcar delivery targets, while adjusting its revenue range to $500 to $530 million, reflecting a change in product mix. Looking ahead, FreightCar America aims to generate positive free cash flow and maintain strong margins, while strategically positioning itself for growth through initiatives like their TrueTrack process and tank car conversion readiness.

Freightcar America Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Freightcar America shows positive revenue growth and improved profit margins, but faces significant financial instability with negative equity and high leverage. Cash flow management needs improvement, with declining free cash flow and low conversion of net income to cash.
Income Statement
65
Positive
Freightcar America shows a positive revenue growth rate of 10.14% TTM, indicating a recovery trend. The gross profit margin improved to 15.09% TTM from 11.98% in the previous year, reflecting better cost management. However, the net profit margin is volatile, with a significant improvement to 17.40% TTM from negative margins in previous years. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are still relatively low, suggesting room for operational efficiency improvements.
Balance Sheet
40
Negative
The company has a negative stockholders' equity, leading to a negative debt-to-equity ratio, which is a significant risk factor. The return on equity is negative TTM, indicating inefficiencies in generating returns from equity. The equity ratio is not directly calculable due to negative equity, highlighting financial instability.
Cash Flow
55
Neutral
Operating cash flow is positive at $30.62 million TTM, but free cash flow has decreased by 15% TTM, indicating potential cash management issues. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is low at 0.23, suggesting that net income is not fully translating into cash flow. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio is relatively strong at 0.89, indicating some efficiency in converting earnings into cash.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue513.12M559.42M358.09M364.75M203.05M108.45M
Gross Profit77.43M67.04M41.76M25.82M11.46M-13.50M
EBITDA26.05M39.51M18.14M-5.82M-11.00M-33.67M
Net Income89.31M-75.82M-23.59M-38.85M-41.45M-84.44M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets340.76M224.22M259.46M199.74M200.66M182.74M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments62.74M44.45M40.56M33.83M21.28M43.59M
Total Debt47.63M158.99M75.23M127.26M98.06M85.46M
Total Liabilities431.63M374.49M305.67M228.32M202.32M152.25M
Stockholders Equity-90.87M-150.27M-46.21M-28.58M-1.66M30.50M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow27.23M39.91M-7.95M3.69M-57.69M-68.75M
Operating Cash Flow30.62M44.93M4.77M11.50M-55.40M-58.91M
Investing Cash Flow-2.81M-5.02M-4.37M-7.82M-1.68M-6.09M
Financing Cash Flow-9.90M-36.02M2.25M7.99M29.27M52.79M

Freightcar America Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price9.58
Price Trends
50DMA
9.03
Negative
100DMA
9.28
Negative
200DMA
8.29
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.34
Negative
RSI
46.60
Neutral
STOCH
62.14
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For RAIL, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 9.58 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 8.22, above the 50-day MA of 9.03, and above the 200-day MA of 8.29, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.34 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 46.60 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 62.14 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for RAIL.

Freightcar America Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
75
Outperform
$35.52B30.1911.07%0.48%4.40%14.60%
73
Outperform
$280.09M60.842.74%-5.51%-88.11%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
60
Neutral
$1.38B7.0314.03%2.83%-8.66%27.14%
56
Neutral
$152.82M3.24-6.18%
55
Neutral
$2.12B23.1010.04%4.53%-33.03%-44.18%
54
Neutral
$354.66M56.413.77%12.63%-21.23%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
RAIL
Freightcar America
8.18
-2.17
-20.97%
EVI
EVI Industries
20.44
1.77
9.48%
GBX
Greenbrier
44.48
-22.16
-33.25%
FSTR
L. B. Foster Company
26.98
-2.22
-7.60%
TRN
Trinity Industries
26.52
-9.62
-26.62%
WAB
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies
208.55
9.78
4.92%

Freightcar America Corporate Events

FreightCar America Reports Strong Q3 2025 Results
Nov 11, 2025

FreightCar America, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a prominent manufacturer and supplier of railroad freight cars, railcar parts, and components, specializing in railcar repairs and conversions to repurpose idled rail assets.

FreightCar America Reports Strong Q3 Earnings Amid Industry Challenges
Nov 11, 2025

FreightCar America recently held its earnings call, revealing a strong operational performance with significant revenue growth and record adjusted EBITDA. The company has effectively navigated challenges within the broader railcar industry, maintaining a healthy backlog and achieving market share growth. Despite these successes, there are ongoing industry demand challenges and a revenue guidance adjustment reflecting current market conditions.

Executive/Board Changes
FreightCar America Amends Executive Severance Benefits
Neutral
Sep 16, 2025

On September 11, 2025, FreightCar America, Inc.’s board of directors approved amendments to the employment arrangements of its top executives, Nicholas J. Randall and Michael A. Riordan, effective September 3, 2025. These amendments modify the severance benefits for these executives in the event of a qualifying termination following a Change in Control. The changes include extended salary continuation, bonus payments, and health plan participation, replacing previous severance benefits under the company’s Executive Severance Plan.

The most recent analyst rating on (RAIL) stock is a Hold with a $8.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Freightcar America stock, see the RAIL Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and Strategy
FreightCar America Declares Stockholder Rights Plan
Neutral
Sep 8, 2025

On September 2, 2025, FreightCar America’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of common stock, effective September 8, 2025. This move is part of a stockholder rights plan designed to protect the company from hostile takeovers by imposing penalties on any entity acquiring 15% or more of the company without board approval. The plan aims to ensure fair treatment of all stockholders and safeguard the company’s long-term value, while allowing the board to consider offers that align with stockholders’ best interests.

The most recent analyst rating on (RAIL) stock is a Hold with a $8.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Freightcar America stock, see the RAIL Stock Forecast page.

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: Nov 18, 2025