UNP vs CSX vs NSC
161 measures in 16 categories, one definition each, computed from filings and market data.
Price, rebased to 100 three years ago
UNP CSX NSC · weekly adjusted closesSmart money 8Valuation 16Profitability (TTM) 12Returns on capital 11Growth 17Margin history & stability 7Liquidity (latest quarter) 7Leverage & solvency (latest quarter) 13Efficiency 11Cash flow & earnings quality 7Dividends & buybacks 9Scores & forensic checks 15Per share 7Size (TTM) 8Price performance 9Technicals 4
● marks the highest or lowest value where that direction is plainly stronger (margins, returns, coverage, leverage); multiples and yields are left unmarked. Bars show each stock's percentile within its own industry. n/a: the measure does not apply to lenders and insurers.
Smart money
8 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insider open-market buys, 180d | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Insider $ bought, 180d | — | — | — |
| Congress purchases, 180d | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Last Congress purchase | 2026-05-01 | 2026-05-01 | 2026-09-04 |
| 13F net change in holders | +120 | +128 | +31 |
| ETFs adding shares, 30d | 1,358 | 1,248 | 927 |
| ETFs trimming, 30d | 1,059 | 1,120 | 714 |
| Net ETF funds, 30d | +299 | +128 | +213 |
Valuation
16 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E (TTM) | 23.4x
33rd
|
28.0x
67th
|
27.9x
50th
|
| PEG (P/E ÷ 3-yr EPS CAGR) | 6.22
75th
|
— | 21.77
100th
|
| Price / sales | 6.8x
100th
|
6.2x
83rd
|
5.9x
67th
|
| Price / book | 8.3x
100th
|
6.4x
83rd
|
4.5x
67th
|
| Price / tangible book | 7.8x
100th
|
6.4x
80th
|
4.4x
60th
|
| Price / free cash flow | 26.4x
100th
|
18.0x
25th
|
19.1x
50th
|
| Price / operating cash flow | 16.7x
50th
|
16.9x
67th
|
19.7x
83rd
|
| Enterprise value | $200.8B
100th
|
$108.1B
83rd
|
$89.0B
67th
|
| EV / sales | 7.9x
100th
|
7.5x
83rd
|
7.1x
67th
|
| EV / EBITDA | 15.1x
50th
|
16.1x
67th
|
16.4x
83rd
|
| EV / EBIT | 18.6x
50th
|
21.4x
67th
|
22.2x
83rd
|
| EV / free cash flow | 30.9x
100th
|
21.5x
25th
|
23.2x
50th
|
| Earnings yield | 4.3%
67th
|
3.6%
33rd
|
3.6%
50th
|
| FCF yield | 3.8%
33rd
|
5.6%
83rd
|
5.2%
67th
|
| Operating cash flow yield | 6.0%
50th
|
5.9%
33rd
|
5.1%
17th
|
| Graham number (per share) | $98.30
67th
|
$17.19
0th
|
$137.93
100th
|
Profitability (TTM)
12 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 45.5%
83rd
|
35.3%
67th
|
53.7%
100th
|
| EBITDA margin | 52.4%
100th
|
46.2%
67th
|
43.3%
50th
|
| Operating margin | 39.9%
100th
|
34.2%
83rd
|
31.6%
67th
|
| EBIT margin | 42.5%
100th
|
34.8%
67th
|
32.0%
50th
|
| Net margin | 28.8%
100th
|
22.2%
83rd
|
21.0%
67th
|
| NOPAT margin | 30.8%
100th
|
26.2%
83rd
|
24.8%
67th
|
| FCF margin | 25.6%
67th
|
34.6%
100th
|
30.6%
83rd
|
| Operating cash flow margin | 40.4%
100th
|
36.7%
83rd
|
29.8%
67th
|
| R&D / revenue | 0.0%
0th
|
0.0%
0th
|
0.0%
0th
|
| SG&A / revenue | 4.2%
17th
|
0.0%
0th
|
6.0%
33rd
|
| Stock comp / revenue | 0.0%
0th
|
0.0%
0th
|
0.0%
0th
|
| Effective tax rate | 22.9%
17th
|
23.3%
33rd
|
21.6%
0th
|
Returns on capital
11 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (on average equity) | 39.7%
100th
|
24.4%
67th
|
17.0%
50th
|
| ROA | 10.5%
100th
|
7.4%
83rd
|
5.9%
67th
|
| ROIC | 15.7%
100th
|
11.9%
83rd
|
9.8%
67th
|
| ROCE | 16.5%
100th
|
12.4%
83rd
|
9.6%
17th
|
| Return on tangible assets | 15.4%
100th
|
11.5%
83rd
|
9.0%
67th
|
| Cash ROIC (OCF / invested capital) | 20.6%
83rd
|
16.6%
67th
|
11.7%
50th
|
| Gross profitability (GP / assets) | 16.2%
67th
|
12.4%
33rd
|
14.9%
50th
|
| ROIC, 3-yr average | 12.7%
100th
|
9.8%
83rd
|
7.9%
67th
|
| ROIC, 5-yr average | 15.5%
100th
|
12.7%
83rd
|
9.9%
67th
|
| ROE, 5-yr average | 44.5%
100th
|
27.9%
83rd
|
19.2%
67th
|
| Incremental ROIC | 152.0%
100th
|
100.7%
83rd
|
67.6%
67th
|
Growth
17 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (TTM YoY) | 4.2%
67th
|
2.5%
33rd
|
3.0%
50th
|
| Revenue growth (QoQ) | 10.4%
50th
|
13.0%
67th
|
15.6%
100th
|
| Revenue CAGR, 3 yr | 0.9%
67th
|
-1.2%
33rd
|
-0.4%
50th
|
| Revenue CAGR, 5 yr | 4.3%
33rd
|
5.2%
50th
|
3.6%
17th
|
| Gross profit CAGR, 3 yr | 2.1%
33rd
|
-1.7%
17th
|
22.4%
100th
|
| Operating income CAGR, 3 yr | 2.1%
60th
|
-5.2%
0th
|
2.6%
80th
|
| Net income growth (TTM YoY) | 5.7%
67th
|
3.9%
50th
|
-21.3%
33rd
|
| Net income CAGR, 3 yr | 2.9%
40th
|
-7.7%
0th
|
0.8%
20th
|
| EPS growth (TTM YoY) | 5.8%
67th
|
4.5%
50th
|
-21.3%
33rd
|
| EPS CAGR, 3 yr | 3.8%
40th
|
-5.0%
0th
|
1.3%
20th
|
| EPS CAGR, 5 yr | 6.7%
60th
|
3.2%
40th
|
1.4%
20th
|
| FCF growth (TTM YoY) | 3.9%
0th
|
150.3%
100th
|
89.5%
75th
|
| FCF CAGR, 3 yr | 5.9% | 15.7% | 24.3% |
| Operating cash flow CAGR, 3 yr | 4.3%
60th
|
-1.5%
40th
|
-2.7%
20th
|
| Book value CAGR, 3 yr | 17.1%
100th
|
7.7%
33rd
|
9.2%
67th
|
| Dividend CAGR, 3 yr | 1.4%
20th
|
4.8%
80th
|
0.2%
0th
|
| Sustainable growth rate | 21.9%
83rd
|
16.8%
67th
|
9.2%
33rd
|
Margin history & stability
7 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross margin, 3-yr average | 45.3%
100th
|
36.4%
67th
|
38.1%
83rd
|
| Operating margin, 3-yr average | 39.6%
100th
|
35.1%
83rd
|
30.7%
67th
|
| Net margin, 3-yr average | 28.1%
100th
|
22.8%
83rd
|
21.1%
67th
|
| FCF margin, 3-yr average | 23.8%
100th
|
22.8%
83rd
|
13.1%
50th
|
| Revenue stability (0-1) | 0.74
83rd
|
0.50
50th
|
0.57
67th
|
| Earnings stability (0-1) | 0.63
83rd
|
0.26
33rd
|
0.00
0th
|
| Margin stability (0-1) | 0.96
100th
|
0.93
83rd
|
0.69
0th
|
Liquidity (latest quarter)
7 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash & short-term investments | $2.1B
100th
|
$1.4B
83rd
|
$1.1B
67th
|
| Net cash (− = net debt) | −$29.1B
0th
|
−$18.0B
17th
|
−$15.5B
33rd
|
| Working capital | −$79.0M
33rd
|
−$746.0M
0th
|
−$569.0M
17th
|
| Current ratio | 0.99
33rd
|
0.82
0th
|
0.83
17th
|
| Quick ratio | 0.82
50th
|
0.72
17th
|
0.73
33rd
|
| Cash ratio (cash + ST investments / current liabilities) | 0.38
83rd
|
0.33
67th
|
0.32
50th
|
| Defensive interval (days) | 1,089 days
67th
|
1,794 days
100th
|
296 days
0th
|
Leverage & solvency (latest quarter)
13 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total debt | $31.2B
100th
|
$19.4B
83rd
|
$16.6B
67th
|
| Debt / equity | 1.51
83rd
|
1.37
67th
|
1.02
33rd
|
| Net debt / equity | 1.41
83rd
|
1.28
67th
|
0.96
33rd
|
| Debt / assets | 43.8%
83rd
|
43.3%
67th
|
36.8%
33rd
|
| Debt / capital | 60.1%
83rd
|
57.9%
67th
|
50.6%
33rd
|
| Debt / EBITDA | 2.34
17th
|
2.89
50th
|
3.06
67th
|
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.18
17th
|
2.68
50th
|
2.87
67th
|
| Interest coverage (EBIT / interest) | 8.4x
100th
|
6.0x
50th
|
5.1x
33rd
|
| Cash interest coverage | 8.0x
83rd
|
6.3x
50th
|
4.7x
33rd
|
| Debt payback (years of OCF) | 3.0 yrs
17th
|
3.6 yrs
50th
|
4.5 yrs
67th
|
| Liabilities / assets | 71.0%
83rd
|
68.5%
67th
|
64.0%
50th
|
| IS credit model rating | A | BBB+ | BBB- |
| Implied credit spread (bps) | 150
17th
|
225
50th
|
350
67th
|
Efficiency
11 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asset turnover | 0.36
50th
|
0.33
33rd
|
0.28
17th
|
| Fixed asset turnover | 0.42
50th
|
0.39
33rd
|
0.34
17th
|
| Inventory turnover | 16.4
67th
|
21.7
100th
|
18.1
83rd
|
| Receivables turnover | 12.6
83rd
|
11.7
67th
|
14.6
100th
|
| Days sales outstanding | 29 days
17th
|
31 days
33rd
|
25 days
0th
|
| Days inventory outstanding | 22 days
33rd
|
17 days
0th
|
20 days
17th
|
| Days payables outstanding | 23 days
0th
|
48 days
33rd
|
103 days
100th
|
| Cash conversion cycle (days) | 28 days
33rd
|
−0 days
17th
|
−58 days
0th
|
| Capex / revenue | 14.8%
80th
|
2.1%
20th
|
— |
| Capex / depreciation | 1.49
60th
|
0.18
0th
|
— |
| Operating expense ratio | 5.3%
17th
|
0.0%
0th
|
34.4%
100th
|
Cash flow & earnings quality
7 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.40
33rd
|
1.65
83rd
|
1.42
50th
|
| FCF / net income | 0.89
33rd
|
1.56
83rd
|
1.45
50th
|
| FCF / operating cash flow | 63.4%
40th
|
94.3%
100th
|
— |
| Capex / operating cash flow | 36.6%
60th
|
5.7%
0th
|
— |
| Accruals ratio | -4.2%
33rd
|
-4.8%
17th
|
-2.5%
67th
|
| Sloan accruals ratio | -0.5%
83rd
|
-3.9%
33rd
|
-2.7%
67th
|
| Earnings quality score (0-1) | 1.00
33rd
|
1.00
33rd
|
1.00
33rd
|
Scores & forensic checks
15 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| IS score | 67
100th
|
66
67th
|
59
50th
|
| IS profitability | 84
100th
|
78
83rd
|
76
67th
|
| IS growth | 50
83rd
|
45
67th
|
27
17th
|
| IS value | 46
50th
|
45
33rd
|
48
67th
|
| IS momentum | 76
83rd
|
74
67th
|
59
17th
|
| IS risk (safety) | 100
83rd
|
65
50th
|
50
17th
|
| IS quality | 82
83rd
|
83
100th
|
81
67th
|
| IS balance sheet | 50
67th
|
46
17th
|
48
33rd
|
| IS earnings quality | 83
83rd
|
80
67th
|
86
100th
|
| IS cash flow | 67
33rd
|
87
100th
|
85
83rd
|
| Piotroski F-score (0-9) | 8
83rd
|
9
100th
|
7
33rd
|
| Altman Z-score | 4.2
83rd
|
2.8
50th
|
2.5
33rd
|
| Beneish M-score | −2.60
50th
|
−2.70
33rd
|
−2.77
17th
|
| Ohlson O-score | −7.76
17th
|
−7.55
50th
|
−7.65
33rd
|
| IS credit score | 74
83rd
|
61
50th
|
53
33rd
|
Size (TTM)
8 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $171.7B
100th
|
$90.2B
83rd
|
$73.4B
67th
|
| Revenue | $25.4B
100th
|
$14.5B
83rd
|
$12.5B
67th
|
| EBITDA | $13.3B
100th
|
$6.7B
83rd
|
$5.4B
67th
|
| Net income | $7.3B
100th
|
$3.2B
83rd
|
$2.6B
67th
|
| Free cash flow | $6.5B
100th
|
$5.0B
83rd
|
$3.8B
67th
|
| Total assets | $71.2B
100th
|
$44.7B
67th
|
$45.1B
83rd
|
| Shareholders' equity | $20.7B
100th
|
$14.1B
67th
|
$16.3B
83rd
|
| Employees | 28,716
83rd
|
22,200
67th
|
19,300
50th
|
Price performance
9 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | +0.1% | −0.0% | +0.6% |
| 1 week | +3.8% | +3.0% | +2.8% |
| 1 month | +2.3% | +1.6% | +2.5% |
| 3 months | −2.5% | −2.9% | −2.4% |
| 6 months | +15.1% | +12.4% | +8.1% |
| Year to date | +25.2% | +34.7% | +14.1% |
| 1 year | +28.8% | +34.8% | +13.3% |
| 3 years, cumulative | +45.2% | +59.2% | +70.2% |
| 5 years, cumulative | +47.2% | +57.9% | +35.3% |
Technicals
4 measures| Measure | UNP | CSX | NSC |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI 14 | 62.9 | 58.5 | 60.7 |
| From 52-week high | −8.6% | −9.2% | −8.9% |
| From 52-week low | +34.9% | +45.3% | +18.2% |
| Beta | 0.95 | 1.20 | 1.28 |
InsiderStreet reports findings from filings and market data. A comparison is not a recommendation to buy or sell either stock.Every figure is computed in code · data as of 2026-10-17