CNI vs. SARO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 28, 2025

Here’s a clear look at CNI and SARO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	CNI	SARO
Company Name	Canadian National Railway Company	StandardAero, Inc.
Country	Canada	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Ground Transportation	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	60.70 billion USD	9.02 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	November 26, 1996	October 2, 2024
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of CNI and SARO 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.

CNI vs. SARO: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	CNI	SARO
5-Day Price Return	2.65%	2.44%
13-Week Price Return	-7.92%	-3.09%
26-Week Price Return	-9.24%	0.22%
52-Week Price Return	-16.09%	--
Month-to-Date Return	3.28%	-4.41%
Year-to-Date Return	-8.46%	10.22%
10-Day Avg. Volume	2.05M	2.09M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.47M	2.28M
3-Month Volatility	17.36%	23.46%
Beta	0.58	1.24

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.

SARO

6.27%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 43.89%
Q3: 22.42%
Median: 12.50%
Q1: 5.21%
Min: -6.24%

SARO’s Return on Equity of 6.27% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

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.

SARO

2.37%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.54%
Q3: 8.08%
Median: 6.17%
Q1: 2.49%
Min: -1.63%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, SARO’s Net Profit Margin of 2.37% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

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.

SARO

7.59%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.63%
Q3: 10.38%
Median: 8.29%
Q1: 6.21%
Min: 0.95%

SARO’s Operating Profit Margin of 7.59% is around the midpoint for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	CNI	SARO
Return on Equity (TTM)	21.82%	6.27%
Return on Assets (TTM)	8.09%	2.11%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	26.62%	2.37%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	37.28%	7.59%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	75.22%	14.90%

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.

SARO

2.15

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.09
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.02

SARO’s Current Ratio of 2.15 is in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

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.

SARO

0.92

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.70
Q3: 1.04
Median: 0.68
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

SARO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.92 is typical for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

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.

SARO

1.29

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 36.57
Q3: 19.90
Median: 7.04
Q1: 2.40
Min: -7.63

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, SARO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.29 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	CNI	SARO
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.82	2.15
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.58	1.45
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.95	0.92
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	7.66	1.29

Growth

Revenue Growth

CNI vs. SARO: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

CNI vs. SARO: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CNI

2.67%

Ground Transportation Industry

Max: 5.44%
Q3: 2.49%
Median: 1.53%
Q1: 0.39%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 2.67%, CNI offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

SARO

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.03%
Q3: 1.22%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

SARO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

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.

SARO

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 83.87%
Q3: 49.90%
Median: 16.48%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

SARO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	CNI	SARO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.67%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	47.68%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

CNI

17.88

Ground Transportation Industry

Max: 42.59
Q3: 24.86
Median: 16.38
Q1: 12.79
Min: 4.37

CNI’s P/E Ratio of 17.88 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.

SARO

66.98

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 65.97
Q3: 54.11
Median: 34.53
Q1: 23.66
Min: 0.00

At 66.98, SARO’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

CNI

4.76

Ground Transportation Industry

Max: 4.02
Q3: 2.20
Median: 1.23
Q1: 0.87
Min: 0.22

With a P/S Ratio of 4.76, 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.

SARO

1.59

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 8.07
Q3: 4.49
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.00

SARO’s P/S Ratio of 1.59 aligns with the market consensus for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

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.

SARO

4.21

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 13.67
Q3: 7.92
Median: 4.65
Q1: 2.68
Min: 0.82

SARO’s P/B Ratio of 4.21 is within the conventional range for the Aerospace & Defense 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.

CNI vs. SARO: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Ground Transportation and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	CNI	SARO
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	17.88	66.98
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	4.76	1.59
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	4.14	4.21
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	25.23	--