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CSX vs. UAL: CSX vs. United Airlines Stock Comparison

How do CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL) 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 United Airlines (UAL) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but CSX is classified in Ground Transportation while UAL is classified in Passenger Airlines.

Company profile comparison for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
Profile ItemCSXUAL
NameCSX CorporationUnited Airlines Holdings, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationPassenger Airlines
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationPassenger Airlines
Market Capitalization90.99 billion USD36.63 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateNovember 3, 1980February 6, 2006
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSX
UAL
GSPC
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL), 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

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Trailing total returns for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
Total Return (1Y)42.93%22.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.91%47.27%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.47%17.68%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSX
UAL
GSPC
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL), 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.05%48.88%
Beta (5Y)1.121.32
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.44%-49.19%
Avg. Volume (3M)10.64M4.24M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CSX and UAL 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 United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.680.37
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.740.59

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 26.39% and United Airlines (UAL) at 22.31% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

26.39%

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

UAL

Transportation industry group

22.31%

Max
45.08%
UAL
22.31%
Q3
22.02%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): 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 United Airlines (UAL) at 5.46%, 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%

UAL

Transportation industry group

5.46%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
Median
5.58%
UAL
5.46%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): 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 United Airlines (UAL) at 7.03%, 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%

UAL

Transportation industry group

7.03%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
Median
11.50%
UAL
7.03%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
ROE (TTM)26.39%22.31%
ROA (TTM)7.77%3.31%
Net Margin (TTM)23.97%5.46%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.26%7.03%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.78%30.87%

Growth

Revenue Growth

United Airlines (UAL) at 3.52% 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.

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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CSX (CSX) at -13.97% and United Airlines (UAL) at 7.94% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.08%3.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.74%9.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)-13.97%7.94%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.57%66.00%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CSX (CSX) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while United Airlines (UAL) at 0.75 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for UAL.

CSX

Transportation industry group

0.84

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

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.75

Max
2.58
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
UAL
0.75
Min
0.22
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

CSX (CSX) at 1.35 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while United Airlines (UAL) at 1.93 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.35

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

UAL

Transportation industry group

1.93

Max
2.75
UAL
1.93
Q3
1.37
Median
0.78
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.840.75
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.351.93
Net Debt / EBITDA2.502.79

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

United Airlines (UAL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CSX (CSX) reports a yield of 1.08%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.08%

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

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
UAL
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

United Airlines (UAL) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CSX (CSX) reports a payout of 28.65%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CSX

Transportation industry group

28.65%

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

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
Median
20.43%
UAL
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.08%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.65%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

United Airlines (UAL) at 10.32 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while CSX (CSX) at 25.58 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for UAL, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CSX

Transportation industry group

25.58

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

UAL

Transportation industry group

10.32

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
Median
20.58
Q1
10.44
UAL
10.32
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

United Airlines (UAL) at 0.56 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

UAL

Transportation industry group

0.56

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
UAL
0.56
Q1
0.53
Min
0.04
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

United Airlines (UAL) at 2.06 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

UAL

Transportation industry group

2.06

Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
UAL
2.06
Median
1.90
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
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CSX (CSX) vs. United Airlines (UAL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CSX (CSX) and United Airlines (UAL)
MetricCSXUAL
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.5810.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.090.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.292.06
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.66%-1.57%