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CSX vs. UNP: CSX vs. Union Pacific Stock Comparison

How do CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP) 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 Union Pacific (UNP) are both classified in the Rail Transportation sub-industry within the broader Ground Transportation industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
Profile ItemCSXUNP
NameCSX CorporationUnion Pacific Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationGround Transportation
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationRail Transportation
Market Capitalization88.32 billion USD161.49 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateNovember 3, 1980January 2, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSX
UNP
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): 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 Union Pacific (UNP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
Total Return (1Y)47.72%20.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSX
UNP
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.61%22.12%
Beta (5Y)1.220.96
Avg. Volume (3M)12.79M2.99M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CSX and UNP 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.

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 23.68% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 40.69% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

23.68%

Max
43.37%
CSX
23.68%
Q3
20.89%
Median
10.23%
Q1
1.87%
Min
-18.46%

UNP

Transportation industry group

40.69%

Max
43.37%
UNP
40.69%
Q3
20.89%
Median
10.23%
Q1
1.87%
Min
-18.46%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both CSX (CSX) at 21.55% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 29.20% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CSX

Transportation industry group

21.55%

Max
43.82%
CSX
21.55%
Q3
18.74%
Median
4.89%
Q1
0.49%
Min
-9.62%

UNP

Transportation industry group

29.20%

Max
43.82%
UNP
29.20%
Q3
18.74%
Median
4.89%
Q1
0.49%
Min
-9.62%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 36.16% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 40.36% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

CSX

Transportation industry group

36.16%

Max
54.53%
CSX
36.16%
Q3
23.98%
Median
6.34%
Q1
1.12%
Min
-32.41%

UNP

Transportation industry group

40.36%

Max
54.53%
UNP
40.36%
Q3
23.98%
Median
6.34%
Q1
1.12%
Min
-32.41%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
ROE (TTM)23.68%40.69%
ROA (TTM)7.08%9.14%
Net Margin (TTM)21.55%29.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)36.16%40.36%
Gross Margin (TTM)46.82%56.53%

Growth

Revenue Growth

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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.08%1.07%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.74%-0.49%

EPS Growth

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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
EPS Growth (YoY)-13.97%8.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.57%2.24%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CSX (CSX) at 0.97 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 0.92 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

0.97

Max
2.26
Q3
1.59
Median
1.13
CSX
0.97
Q1
0.78
Min
0.19

UNP

Transportation industry group

0.92

Max
2.26
Q3
1.59
Median
1.13
UNP
0.92
Q1
0.78
Min
0.19
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CSX (CSX) at 1.43 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 1.62 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.43

Max
3.37
Q3
1.70
CSX
1.43
Median
0.76
Q1
0.36
Min
0.00

UNP

Transportation industry group

1.62

Max
3.37
Q3
1.70
UNP
1.62
Median
0.76
Q1
0.36
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.970.92
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.431.62
Net Debt / EBITDA2.772.42

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Union Pacific (UNP) at 2.01% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while CSX (CSX) at 1.10% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, UNP the richer one.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.10%

Max
3.33%
Q3
1.47%
CSX
1.10%
Median
0.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UNP

Transportation industry group

2.01%

Max
3.33%
UNP
2.01%
Q3
1.47%
Median
0.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 32.52% and Union Pacific (UNP) at 45.10% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CSX

Transportation industry group

32.52%

Max
106.15%
Q3
45.20%
CSX
32.52%
Median
20.02%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UNP

Transportation industry group

45.10%

Max
106.15%
Q3
45.20%
UNP
45.10%
Median
20.02%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.10%2.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)32.52%45.10%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 29.16 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 22.37 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

29.16

Max
82.00
Q3
45.23
CSX
29.16
Median
22.35
Q1
13.74
Min
0.00

UNP

Transportation industry group

22.37

Max
82.00
Q3
45.23
UNP
22.37
Median
22.35
Q1
13.74
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Investors are paying well above the peer range per dollar of sales for both CSX (CSX) at 6.24 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 6.54 — each P/S ratio clears its industry’s benchmark range.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.24

CSX
6.24
Max
4.39
Q3
2.14
Median
1.17
Q1
0.59
Min
0.08

UNP

Transportation industry group

6.54

UNP
6.54
Max
4.39
Q3
2.14
Median
1.17
Q1
0.59
Min
0.08
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both CSX (CSX) at 6.50 and Union Pacific (UNP) at 8.32 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.50

Max
8.78
CSX
6.50
Q3
4.45
Median
2.13
Q1
1.20
Min
-2.93

UNP

Transportation industry group

8.32

Max
8.78
UNP
8.32
Q3
4.45
Median
2.13
Q1
1.20
Min
-2.93
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CSX (CSX) vs. Union Pacific (UNP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CSX (CSX) and Union Pacific (UNP)
MetricCSXUNP
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.1622.37
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.246.54
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.508.32
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.28%2.50%