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

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

Company Profile

SymbolCNISYM
Company NameCanadian National Railway CompanySymbotic Inc.
CountryCanadaUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS IndustryGround TransportationMachinery
Market Capitalization58.64 billion USD31.70 billion USD
ExchangeNYSENasdaqGM
Listing DateNovember 26, 1996March 9, 2021
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of CNI and SYM 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. SYM: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolCNISYM
5-Day Price Return-0.09%-0.98%
13-Week Price Return-7.64%106.46%
26-Week Price Return-13.10%106.54%
52-Week Price Return-15.07%152.85%
Month-to-Date Return-0.09%-0.50%
Year-to-Date Return-11.44%126.40%
10-Day Avg. Volume1.55M3.22M
3-Month Avg. Volume1.43M2.02M
3-Month Volatility20.04%89.10%
Beta0.582.06

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.

SYM

-7.69%

Machinery Industry

Max
34.68%
Q3
19.06%
Median
13.13%
Q1
8.53%
Min
-4.87%

SYM has a negative Return on Equity of -7.69%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery 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.

SYM

-0.71%

Machinery Industry

Max
19.74%
Q3
11.24%
Median
8.13%
Q1
5.38%
Min
-1.11%

SYM has a negative Net Profit Margin of -0.71%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery 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.

SYM

-5.20%

Machinery Industry

Max
26.63%
Q3
16.15%
Median
11.27%
Q1
7.72%
Min
-4.91%

SYM has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5.20%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolCNISYM
Return on Equity (TTM)21.82%-7.69%
Return on Assets (TTM)8.09%-0.88%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)26.62%-0.71%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)37.28%-5.20%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)75.22%16.30%

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.

SYM

1.08

Machinery Industry

Max
3.83
Q3
2.32
Median
1.72
Q1
1.28
Min
0.78

SYM’s Current Ratio of 1.08 falls into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery 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.

SYM

0.00

Machinery Industry

Max
1.49
Q3
0.75
Median
0.44
Q1
0.26
Min
0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SYM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery 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.

SYM

--

Machinery Industry

Max
67.55
Q3
33.79
Median
13.87
Q1
7.97
Min
-1.43

Interest Coverage Ratio data for SYM is currently unavailable.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolCNISYM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.821.08
Quick Ratio (MRQ)0.580.90
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)0.950.00
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)7.66--

Growth

Revenue Growth

CNI vs. SYM: 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. SYM: 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

2.70%

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.

SYM

0.00%

Machinery Industry

Max
5.32%
Q3
2.84%
Median
1.87%
Q1
1.09%
Min
0.00%

SYM 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. SYM: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery 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.

SYM

0.00%

Machinery Industry

Max
202.17%
Q3
98.65%
Median
55.54%
Q1
29.03%
Min
0.00%

SYM 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. SYM: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolCNISYM
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.70%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)47.68%0.00%

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.

SYM

--

Machinery Industry

Max
53.66
Q3
31.29
Median
22.00
Q1
16.18
Min
7.00

P/E Ratio data for SYM is currently unavailable.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery industry benchmarks.

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.

SYM

14.35

Machinery Industry

Max
5.04
Q3
2.72
Median
1.67
Q1
1.04
Min
0.24

With a P/S Ratio of 14.35, SYM trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Machinery industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery 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.

SYM

108.69

Machinery Industry

Max
7.23
Q3
3.90
Median
2.52
Q1
1.47
Min
0.49

At 108.69, SYM’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Machinery industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

CNI vs. SYM: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Ground Transportation and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolCNISYM
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)17.68--
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)4.7114.35
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)4.14108.69
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)24.9565.91