Seek Returns

CSX vs. DAL: CSX vs. Delta Air Lines Stock Comparison

How do CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but CSX is classified in Ground Transportation while DAL is classified in Passenger Airlines.

Company profile comparison for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
Profile ItemCSXDAL
NameCSX CorporationDelta Air Lines, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationPassenger Airlines
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationPassenger Airlines
Market Capitalization90.99 billion USD57.37 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateNovember 3, 1980May 3, 2007
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSX
DAL
GSPC
Loading price history…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
Total Return (1Y)42.93%56.32%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.91%41.15%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.47%16.27%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSX
DAL
GSPC
Loading price history…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.05%39.27%
Beta (5Y)1.121.37
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.44%-47.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)10.64M6.42M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
CSX and DAL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.681.33
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.742.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 26.39% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 15.91% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CSX.

CSX

Transportation industry group

26.39%

Max
45.08%
CSX
26.39%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%

DAL

Transportation industry group

15.91%

Max
45.08%
Q3
22.02%
DAL
15.91%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 23.97% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 4.58%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CSX

Transportation industry group

23.97%

Max
50.36%
CSX
23.97%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%

DAL

Transportation industry group

4.58%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
DAL
4.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 39.26% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 7.22%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CSX

Transportation industry group

39.26%

Max
59.18%
CSX
39.26%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%

DAL

Transportation industry group

7.22%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
DAL
7.22%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
ROE (TTM)26.39%15.91%
ROA (TTM)7.77%3.95%
Net Margin (TTM)23.97%4.58%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.26%7.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.78%17.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 2.79% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while CSX (CSX) at -3.08% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 43.71% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while CSX (CSX) at -13.97% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for DAL.

Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.08%2.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.74%7.80%
EPS Growth (YoY)-13.97%43.71%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.57%54.92%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CSX (CSX) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.40 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for DAL.

CSX

Transportation industry group

0.84

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
CSX
0.84
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.40

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
DAL
0.40
Min
0.22
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CSX (CSX) at 1.35 and Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.89 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.35

Max
2.75
Q3
1.37
CSX
1.35
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.89

Max
2.75
Q3
1.37
DAL
0.89
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.840.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.350.89
Net Debt / EBITDA2.502.15

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 1.08% and Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.94% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.08%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
CSX
1.08%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.94%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
DAL
0.94%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 28.65% and Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 15.52% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CSX

Transportation industry group

28.65%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
CSX
28.65%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

DAL

Transportation industry group

15.52%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
Median
20.43%
DAL
15.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.08%0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.65%15.52%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 25.58 and Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 17.41 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

25.58

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
CSX
25.58
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00

DAL

Transportation industry group

17.41

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
Median
20.58
DAL
17.41
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 0.80 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while CSX (CSX) at 6.09 clears its benchmark range — CSX looks notably rich on sales.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.09

CSX
6.09
Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04

DAL

Transportation industry group

0.80

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
DAL
0.80
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Delta Air Lines (DAL) at 2.53 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while CSX (CSX) at 6.29 carries an above-peer premium to book — CSX is pricier on assets.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.29

CSX
6.29
Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07

DAL

Transportation industry group

2.53

Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
DAL
2.53
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
Loading chart…
CSX (CSX) vs. Delta Air Lines (DAL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CSX (CSX) and Delta Air Lines (DAL)
MetricCSXDAL
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.5817.41
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.090.80
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.292.53
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.66%4.34%