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CSX vs. ZTO: CSX vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) Stock Comparison

How do CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) 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 ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but CSX is classified in Ground Transportation while ZTO is classified in Air Freight & Logistics.

CSX (CSX) trades as ordinary local shares, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
Profile ItemCSXZTO
NameCSX CorporationZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesChina
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationAir Freight & Logistics
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationAir Freight & Logistics
Market Capitalization90.99 billion USD15.53 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateNovember 3, 1980October 27, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSX
ZTO
GSPC
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO), 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 ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
Total Return (1Y)42.93%11.22%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.91%-1.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.47%-3.82%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSX
ZTO
GSPC
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO), 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 ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) reports a negative beta of -0.18, suggesting inverse market sensitivity over the measurement window. That is uncommon for ordinary equities and can reflect commodity-linked or hedge-like exposure, but it can also come from statistical noise. CSX (CSX) has a non-negative beta of 1.12.

Risk profile metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.05%24.57%
Beta (5Y)1.12-0.18
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.44%-49.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)10.64M2.26M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CSX and ZTO 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 ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.680.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.740.40

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 26.39% sits in the top ROE quartile, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 16.28% 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%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

16.28%

Max
45.08%
Q3
22.02%
ZTO
16.28%
Median
13.94%
Q1
2.89%
Min
-10.45%
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): 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 ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 19.04%, 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%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

19.04%

Max
50.36%
Q3
21.18%
ZTO
19.04%
Median
5.58%
Q1
1.55%
Min
-11.37%
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): 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 ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 22.19%, 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%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

22.19%

Max
59.18%
Q3
29.30%
ZTO
22.19%
Median
11.50%
Q1
4.62%
Min
-8.91%
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
ROE (TTM)26.39%16.28%
ROA (TTM)7.77%7.38%
Net Margin (TTM)23.97%19.04%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.26%22.19%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.78%25.10%

Growth

Revenue Growth

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 10.88% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while CSX (CSX) at -3.08% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CSX (CSX) at -13.97% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 4.58% 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. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.08%10.88%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.74%11.54%
EPS Growth (YoY)-13.97%4.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.57%10.21%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CSX (CSX) at 0.84 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 1.67 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

CSX

Transportation industry group

0.84

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

ZTO

Transportation industry group

1.67

Max
2.58
ZTO
1.67
Q3
1.62
Median
1.16
Q1
0.78
Min
0.22
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CSX (CSX) at 1.35 and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 0.35 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

ZTO

Transportation industry group

0.35

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.841.67
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.350.35
Net Debt / EBITDA2.50-0.62

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CSX (CSX) at 1.08% pays an industry-typical yield; ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 12.89% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

CSX

Transportation industry group

1.08%

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

ZTO

Transportation industry group

12.89%

ZTO
12.89%
Max
4.68%
Q3
1.99%
Median
0.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 28.65% and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 38.36% 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%

ZTO

Transportation industry group

38.36%

Max
100.89%
Q3
41.68%
ZTO
38.36%
Median
20.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.08%12.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.65%38.36%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CSX (CSX) at 25.58 and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 11.37 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

25.58

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

ZTO

Transportation industry group

11.37

Max
46.76
Q3
30.87
Median
20.58
ZTO
11.37
Q1
10.44
Min
0.00
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 0.29 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while CSX (CSX) at 6.09 prices above its industry range — a wide gap in sales valuation between them.

CSX

Transportation industry group

6.09

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

ZTO

Transportation industry group

0.29

Max
4.35
Q3
2.07
Median
0.93
Q1
0.53
ZTO
0.29
Min
0.04
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO) at 1.66 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

ZTO

Transportation industry group

1.66

Max
6.29
Q3
3.39
Median
1.90
ZTO
1.66
Q1
1.03
Min
-2.07
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CSX (CSX) vs. ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CSX (CSX) and ZTO Express (Cayman) (ZTO)
MetricCSXZTO
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.5811.37
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.090.29
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.291.66
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.66%41.42%