CNI vs. GFL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CNI and GFL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CNI | GFL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Canadian National Railway Company | GFL Environmental Inc. |
| Country | Canada | Canada |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Commercial Services & Supplies |
| Market Capitalization | 58.64 billion USD | 18.34 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 26, 1996 | March 3, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CNI and GFL by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CNI | GFL |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -0.09% | 0.03% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -7.64% | 0.56% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -13.10% | 6.77% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -15.07% | 25.67% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.09% | -0.39% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -11.44% | 8.47% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.55M | 0.34M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.43M | 0.37M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 20.04% | 22.39% |
| Beta | 0.58 | 0.68 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CNI
21.82%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 22.11%
- Q3
- 13.84%
- Median
- 9.66%
- Q1
- 7.55%
- Min
- 0.36%
In the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, CNI’s Return on Equity of 21.82% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
GFL
48.97%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.93%
- Q3
- 18.03%
- Median
- 9.43%
- Q1
- 6.44%
- Min
- -9.69%
GFL’s Return on Equity of 48.97% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CNI
26.62%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.20%
- Q3
- 18.59%
- Median
- 7.11%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -10.38%
A Net Profit Margin of 26.62% places CNI in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
GFL
49.85%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 17.53%
- Q3
- 9.01%
- Median
- 5.20%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- -2.31%
GFL’s Net Profit Margin of 49.85% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CNI
37.28%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 41.31%
- Q3
- 23.16%
- Median
- 11.33%
- Q1
- 6.82%
- Min
- -12.08%
An Operating Profit Margin of 37.28% places CNI in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
GFL
5.83%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.43%
- Q3
- 12.19%
- Median
- 8.10%
- Q1
- 3.18%
- Min
- -6.03%
GFL’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.83% is around the midpoint for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CNI | GFL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 21.82% | 48.97% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.09% | 18.18% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 26.62% | 49.85% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.28% | 5.83% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 75.22% | 20.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CNI
0.82
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.03
- Q3
- 1.26
- Median
- 0.89
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.38
CNI’s Current Ratio of 0.82 aligns with the median group of the Ground Transportation industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
GFL
0.67
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.94
- Q3
- 1.89
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.53
GFL’s Current Ratio of 0.67 falls into the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CNI
0.95
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.51
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.47
- Min
- 0.00
CNI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.95 is typical for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
GFL
0.94
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.08
- Median
- 0.73
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.00
GFL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.94 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CNI
7.66
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 51.07
- Q3
- 22.54
- Median
- 7.94
- Q1
- 2.72
- Min
- -24.57
CNI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.66 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
GFL
-0.09
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 12.37
- Median
- 7.16
- Q1
- 2.69
- Min
- -10.97
GFL has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -0.09. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CNI | GFL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 0.67 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.58 | 0.55 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.95 | 0.94 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.66 | -0.09 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CNI
2.70%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.44%
- Q3
- 2.49%
- Median
- 1.53%
- Q1
- 0.39%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.70%, CNI offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
GFL
0.12%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.44%
- Q3
- 2.30%
- Median
- 1.37%
- Q1
- 0.63%
- Min
- 0.00%
GFL’s Dividend Yield of 0.12% is in the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CNI
47.68%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 137.07%
- Q3
- 74.71%
- Median
- 41.16%
- Q1
- 15.12%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 47.68% is within the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
GFL
0.61%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 72.93%
- Median
- 40.45%
- Q1
- 23.31%
- Min
- 0.00%
GFL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.61% is in the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CNI | GFL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.70% | 0.12% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 47.68% | 0.61% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CNI
17.68
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.59
- Q3
- 24.86
- Median
- 16.38
- Q1
- 12.79
- Min
- 4.37
CNI’s P/E Ratio of 17.68 is within the middle range for the Ground Transportation industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
GFL
7.07
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.20
- Q3
- 37.10
- Median
- 22.38
- Q1
- 16.35
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, GFL’s P/E Ratio of 7.07 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CNI
4.71
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.02
- Q3
- 2.20
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.22
With a P/S Ratio of 4.71, CNI trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Ground Transportation industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
GFL
3.52
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.64
- Q3
- 2.28
- Median
- 0.97
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.00
GFL’s P/S Ratio of 3.52 is in the upper echelon for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CNI
4.14
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.95
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.64
CNI’s P/B Ratio of 4.14 is in the upper tier for the Ground Transportation industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
GFL
3.27
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.71
- Q3
- 4.38
- Median
- 2.39
- Q1
- 1.57
- Min
- 0.43
GFL’s P/B Ratio of 3.27 is within the conventional range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CNI | GFL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 17.68 | 7.07 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.71 | 3.52 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.14 | 3.27 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 24.95 | 76.96 |