CSX (NASDAQ:CSX) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.02 EPS

by · The Markets Daily

CSX (NASDAQ:CSX – Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The transportation company reported $0.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.02, FiscalAI reports. CSX had a return on equity of 24.47% and a net margin of 21.55%.The business had revenue of $3.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.89 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.44 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from CSX’s conference call:

  • CSX posted a strong second quarter, with volume up 6%, revenue up 10% to a new quarterly record, and EPS up 23%. Operating income rose 17% as margins expanded 240 basis points despite fuel headwinds.
  • The company raised full-year 2026 guidance, now expecting mid- to high-single-digit revenue growth, more than 350 basis points of operating margin expansion, and free cash flow growth above 80%. Capital spending remains unchanged at under $2.4 billion.
  • CSX said it made meaningful progress on safety and productivity, including a 19% improvement in FRA injury rate, a 30% improvement in train accident rate, and better fuel efficiency for the fourth straight quarter. Management also highlighted continued cost discipline and lower non-fuel expenses.
  • Service metrics were pressured by stronger-than-expected volume and crew tightness in some areas, leading to higher dwell even as velocity improved. Management expects sequential service improvement and only a modest headcount increase to support demand.
  • Commercial momentum was broad-based, led by intermodal and solid merchandise performance, with management citing truck-to-rail conversion opportunities, the Howard Street Tunnel, and new service offerings as growth drivers. The company said pricing remains above plan and should benefit from tighter truck capacity and market repricing.

CSX Stock Performance

CSX traded up $0.04 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $49.93. The stock had a trading volume of 17,174,678 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,153,022. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $47.30 and a 200-day moving average price of $42.87. The firm has a market cap of $92.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.21. CSX has a one year low of $31.80 and a one year high of $51.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.83.

CSX Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors of record on Monday, August 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. CSX’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.36%.

Key Headlines Impacting CSX

Here are the key news stories impacting CSX this week:

Analyst Ratings Changes

CSX has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. New Street Research set a $49.00 price objective on shares of CSX in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their target price on CSX from $45.50 to $47.50 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on CSX from $48.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Weiss Ratings cut CSX from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $53.00 price objective (up from $51.00) on shares of CSX in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $49.33.

Check Out Our Latest Report on CSX

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CFO Kevin S. Boone sold 136,708 shares of CSX stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.70, for a total transaction of $6,384,263.60. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 208,622 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,742,647.40. This trade represents a 39.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director John J. Zillmer sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.45, for a total transaction of $464,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 353,714 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,430,015.30. The trade was a 2.75% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of CSX

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CSX. Walled Lake Planning & Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in CSX by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Walled Lake Planning & Wealth Management LLC now owns 13,235 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $480,000 after acquiring an additional 346 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. raised its position in shares of CSX by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. now owns 39,996 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,450,000 after acquiring an additional 347 shares in the last quarter. Lyell Wealth Management LP lifted its stake in shares of CSX by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Lyell Wealth Management LP now owns 27,831 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,009,000 after purchasing an additional 486 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in shares of CSX in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in shares of CSX by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 16,254 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $525,000 after purchasing an additional 849 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.57% of the company’s stock.

CSX Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

CSX Corporation is a leading North American transportation company that provides rail-based freight services and supply-chain solutions. Its operating subsidiary, CSX Transportation, moves a wide range of goods for customers across multiple industries, using a combination of long-haul rail service, intermodal operations and terminal and yard services. The company focuses on delivering efficient, reliable freight transportation between major production centers, consumption markets and port gateways.

CSX’s freight portfolio includes intermodal containers and trailers, bulk commodities, industrial products and specialized unit trains.

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