CSX vs. NDSN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CSX and NDSN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CSX | NDSN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | CSX Corporation | Nordson Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Machinery |
| Market Capitalization | 67.26 billion USD | 12.52 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | November 3, 1980 | March 18, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CSX and NDSN 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 | CSX | NDSN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.35% | 4.49% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 19.04% | 9.15% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 10.20% | 2.92% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 7.70% | -4.92% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.52% | 3.44% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 11.81% | 5.90% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 16.48M | 0.33M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 16.92M | 0.40M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 21.22% | 27.13% |
| Beta | 1.30 | 0.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CSX
24.83%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 22.11%
- Q3
- 13.84%
- Median
- 9.66%
- Q1
- 7.55%
- Min
- 0.36%
CSX’s Return on Equity of 24.83% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
NDSN
15.37%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 34.68%
- Q3
- 19.06%
- Median
- 13.13%
- Q1
- 8.53%
- Min
- -4.87%
NDSN’s Return on Equity of 15.37% is on par with the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CSX
21.91%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.20%
- Q3
- 18.59%
- Median
- 7.11%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -10.38%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.91% places CSX in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
NDSN
16.51%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.74%
- Q3
- 11.24%
- Median
- 8.13%
- Q1
- 5.38%
- Min
- -1.11%
A Net Profit Margin of 16.51% places NDSN in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CSX
33.80%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 41.31%
- Q3
- 23.16%
- Median
- 11.33%
- Q1
- 6.82%
- Min
- -12.08%
An Operating Profit Margin of 33.80% places CSX 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.
NDSN
24.24%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 16.15%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -4.91%
An Operating Profit Margin of 24.24% places NDSN in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CSX | NDSN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 24.83% | 15.37% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.22% | 7.72% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.91% | 16.51% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 33.80% | 24.24% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 71.73% | 54.78% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CSX
0.77
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.03
- Q3
- 1.26
- Median
- 0.89
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.38
CSX’s Current Ratio of 0.77 aligns with the median group of the Ground Transportation industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NDSN
2.56
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.32
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.78
NDSN’s Current Ratio of 2.56 is in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CSX
1.55
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.51
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.47
- Min
- 0.00
CSX’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Ground Transportation industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.55. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
NDSN
0.75
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.75
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- 0.00
NDSN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.75 is typical for the Machinery 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)
CSX
7.10
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 51.07
- Q3
- 22.54
- Median
- 7.94
- Q1
- 2.72
- Min
- -24.57
CSX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.10 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
NDSN
7.97
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 67.55
- Q3
- 33.79
- Median
- 13.87
- Q1
- 7.97
- Min
- -1.43
NDSN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.97 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CSX | NDSN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.77 | 2.56 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.63 | 1.46 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.55 | 0.75 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.10 | 7.97 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CSX
1.42%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.44%
- Q3
- 2.49%
- Median
- 1.53%
- Q1
- 0.39%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSX’s Dividend Yield of 1.42% is consistent with its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
NDSN
1.40%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.32%
- Q3
- 2.84%
- Median
- 1.87%
- Q1
- 1.09%
- Min
- 0.00%
NDSN’s Dividend Yield of 1.40% is consistent with its peers in the Machinery industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CSX
30.63%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 137.07%
- Q3
- 74.71%
- Median
- 41.16%
- Q1
- 15.12%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 30.63% is within the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
NDSN
38.65%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 202.17%
- Q3
- 98.65%
- Median
- 55.54%
- Q1
- 29.03%
- Min
- 0.00%
NDSN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 38.65% is within the typical range for the Machinery industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CSX | NDSN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.42% | 1.40% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 30.63% | 38.65% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CSX
21.51
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.59
- Q3
- 24.86
- Median
- 16.38
- Q1
- 12.79
- Min
- 4.37
CSX’s P/E Ratio of 21.51 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.
NDSN
27.64
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 53.66
- Q3
- 31.29
- Median
- 22.00
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 7.00
NDSN’s P/E Ratio of 27.64 is within the middle range for the Machinery industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CSX
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, CSX 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.
NDSN
4.56
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.04
- Q3
- 2.72
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.24
NDSN’s P/S Ratio of 4.56 is in the upper echelon for the Machinery 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)
CSX
4.95
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.95
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.64
CSX’s P/B Ratio of 4.95 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.
NDSN
3.64
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.23
- Q3
- 3.90
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.49
NDSN’s P/B Ratio of 3.64 is within the conventional range for the Machinery 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 | CSX | NDSN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 21.51 | 27.64 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.71 | 4.56 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.95 | 3.64 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 24.77 | 26.85 |