Stock Traders Purchase Large Volume of CSX Put Options (NASDAQ:CSX)

09 Apr 2026, 15:16 by Sarita Garza · The Markets Daily

CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX – Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Investors purchased 14,920 put options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 111% compared to the typical volume of 7,060 put options.

CSX Trading Up 0.5%

CSX stock traded up $0.20 during trading on Thursday, hitting $42.34. The company had a trading volume of 3,852,585 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,823,981. CSX has a 1-year low of $27.00 and a 1-year high of $43.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $40.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is $37.45. The stock has a market cap of $78.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.25.

CSX (NASDAQ:CSX – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The transportation company reported $0.39 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.41 by ($0.02). CSX had a net margin of 20.50% and a return on equity of 23.88%. The company had revenue of $3.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.42 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that CSX will post 1.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CSX Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th were given a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. This is a boost from CSX’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. CSX’s dividend payout ratio is 36.36%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CSX has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of CSX from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Bank of America cut their price target on shares of CSX from $48.00 to $46.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Wolfe Research lifted their target price on shares of CSX from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday. Stephens lifted their target price on shares of CSX from $42.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Susquehanna reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $39.00 target price on shares of CSX in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, CSX presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $41.44.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on CSX

Insider Transactions at CSX

In other news, EVP Stephen Fortune sold 31,456 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.65, for a total transaction of $1,215,774.40. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 82,034 shares in the company, valued at $3,170,614.10. This trade represents a 27.72% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Diana B. Sorfleet sold 90,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.56, for a total transaction of $3,740,400.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 165,613 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,882,876.28. This represents a 35.21% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 188,123 shares of company stock worth $7,454,854 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.55% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CSX

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. FNY Investment Advisers LLC boosted its position in CSX by 437.3% in the 3rd quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 720 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 586 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in CSX in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. boosted its position in CSX by 121.5% in the 3rd quarter. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. now owns 1,329 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 729 shares during the period. CrossGen Wealth LLC purchased a new position in CSX in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $54,000. Finally, Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in CSX in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $63,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.57% of the company’s stock.

Key CSX News

Here are the key news stories impacting CSX this week:

Positive Sentiment: Several brokerages published bullish commentary or higher targets, supporting upside momentum — Wolfe Research raised its price target to $46, JPMorgan flagged upside, and Stephens reiterated expectations for higher share performance. Wolfe Research Increases CSX Price Target to $46.00 JPMorgan: CSX Stock Price Expected to Rise Stephens: CSX Stock Price Expected to Rise
Positive Sentiment: CSX’s Lordstown automotive-yard expansion is reported “back on track” / moving forward, a constructive operational development for auto-related freight volumes and future revenue. CSX’s Expansion of Lordstown Automotive Yard Back on Track CSX Goes Full Steam Ahead on Lordstown Expansion Project
Positive Sentiment: Insider activity shows net buying over the past year with at least one insider increasing holdings dramatically, which investors often view as a confidence signal from management. This CSX Insider Increased Their Holding By 1,701% Last Year
Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary noted CSX stock rose on Wednesday but still underperformed the broader market — a mixed short-term signal suggesting limited follow-through despite positive headlines. CSX Corp. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms market
Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity: traders bought roughly 14,920 put contracts (about 111% above typical daily put volume). Heavy put buying can indicate short-term bearish bets or hedging pressure that may weigh on near-term sentiment and volatility.
Negative Sentiment: Citigroup downgraded CSX / lowered its rating, a headwind for sentiment as notable sell-side downgrades can prompt re-evaluation by institutional holders and increase selling pressure. Citigroup Downgrades CSX CSX Stock Rating Lowered by Citigroup

About CSX

(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.