For investors and traders evaluating North American freight transportation, CSX Corporation, Norfolk Southern Corporation, and Union Pacific Corporation represent three of the most closely watched names in the sector. All three are Class I railroads (the largest class of U.S. freight railroads), yet they differ meaningfully in network geography, growth drivers, valuation, and exposure to a major pending merger. This stock comparison examines their relative performance, recent developments, and market positioning to help readers understand how these three bellwethers stack up in the current environment — and which one a data-driven approach might favor.
CSX Corporation (CSX) operates a roughly 20,000-mile network serving the eastern and southeastern United States, with reach into parts of Ontario and Quebec. The company has been a standout within its peer group in recent months. Under new chief executive Steve Angel, appointed in late 2025, CSX has accelerated an efficiency program that lifted its operating margin materially, driven in part by a meaningful reduction in operating expenses. Intermodal volumes (freight moved in containers that transfer between rail and truck) rose in the recent quarter, aided by infrastructure projects such as the completed Howard Street Tunnel work in Baltimore. Management has also raised its dividend and announced a sizable share-repurchase program. This operational momentum has supported the stock's relative strength, though the shares now trade at a higher forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio (a common valuation multiple) than some peers, reflecting the market's confidence in its earnings trajectory.
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) operates a 22-state network concentrated in the eastern United States, anchored by the most extensive intermodal footprint in the region and connections to major Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Great Lakes ports. The company's recent story has been dominated by its pending combination with Union Pacific, a stock-and-cash transaction valued at roughly $85 billion. On fundamentals, NSC has reported essentially flat to rising revenue in recent quarters while improving its safety metrics and controlling costs, but merger-related expenses and sharply higher fuel costs have weighed on its operating ratio (operating expenses expressed as a percentage of revenue) and diluted earnings per share (EPS). The company has paused share repurchases while maintaining its dividend, and its outlook reflects both disciplined execution and the near-term competitive and regulatory uncertainty surrounding the merger.
Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) operates roughly 32,000 miles of track across the western and central United States, with a unique advantage as the only railroad serving all six gateways between the United States and Mexico. This positioning ties it closely to cross-border trade and manufacturing flows. Union Pacific has continued to post earnings growth and steady improvement in its operating ratio, reaffirming a high-single-digit to low-double-digit EPS growth target over the coming years. Its proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern is the sector's defining event, and regulatory review by the Surface Transportation Board (STB, the federal body that oversees rail mergers) has added volatility to the shares in recent weeks. UNP generally trades at a lower valuation multiple than CSX and carries the group's highest dividend yield, making it attractive to investors focused on income and long-term scale.
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Although these three railroads share a common business model — hauling freight across fixed networks with high barriers to entry — their market positioning diverges in several important ways. CSX offers the clearest self-help story: improving margins, intermodal momentum, and shareholder returns, balanced against a richer valuation. UNP provides scale, a lower valuation, and a higher yield, but its outlook is closely tied to a merger that carries integration and regulatory risk. NSC sits in between, combining solid operational progress with merger-linked cost drags and a stock price that is partly anchored to the terms of the pending transaction. On risk factors, CSX faces takeover speculation and macroeconomic freight sensitivity, while UNP and NSC carry concentrated exposure to the outcome of regulatory review. For momentum-focused traders, CSX's trend consistency has been notable; for value- and income-oriented investors, UNP's yield and multiple may stand out.
Based on observable factors — trend consistency, relative performance, operational momentum, and catalyst clarity — Tickeron's AI would most likely favor CSX in the current environment. Its combination of improving margins, intermodal volume growth, and shareholder-friendly capital returns has produced the group's steadiest recent uptrend without the binary regulatory overhang that currently weighs on UNP and NSC. That said, the verdict is probabilistic rather than absolute: UNP's lower valuation and higher yield could appeal if merger approval becomes more certain, while NSC's cost discipline could re-rate the stock once merger-related expenses normalize. The AI's preference for CSX reflects a balance of trend strength, stability, and near-term catalysts rather than a prediction of any single outcome.
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CSX saw its Momentum Indicator move above the 0 level on October 08, 2026. This is an indication that the stock could be shifting in to a new upward move. Traders may want to consider buying the stock or buying call options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 90 similar instances where the indicator turned positive. In 63 of the 90 cases, the stock moved higher in the following days. The odds of a move higher are at 70%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for CSX just turned positive on October 02, 2026. Looking at past instances where CSX's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 31 of 45 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 69%.
CSX moved above its 50-day moving average on October 22, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for CSX crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 23, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 12 of 18 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 67%.
Following a +7.47% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where CSX advanced for three days, in 171 of 305 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 56%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 146 of 251 cases where CSX Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 58%.
The 10-day RSI Indicator for CSX moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 44 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 16 of the 44 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 36%.
The Stochastic Oscillator has been in the overbought zone for 1 day. Expect a price pull-back in the near future.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where CSX declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 48%.
CSX broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 22, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 17 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 19 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 63, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 39 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. CSX’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 91 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: CSX's P/B Ratio (6.681) is slightly higher than the industry average of (3.845). P/E Ratio (29.529) is within average values for comparable stocks, (15.602). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.682) is also within normal values, averaging (7.261). Dividend Yield (0.011) settles around the average of (0.025) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (6.150) is also within normal values, averaging (3.592).
NSC moved above its 50-day moving average on October 21, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend. In 22 of 35 similar past instances, the stock price increased further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 63%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 08, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on NSC as a result. In 51 of 86 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 59%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for NSC just turned positive on October 02, 2026. Looking at past instances where NSC's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 29 of 50 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 58%.
Following a +3.89% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where NSC advanced for three days, in 192 of 327 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 59%.
The 10-day RSI Indicator for NSC moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 38 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 19 of the 38 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 50%.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 14 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where NSC declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 52%.
NSC broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 22, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for NSC entered a downward trend on October 12, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 9 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 63, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 45 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. NSC’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 52 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 75 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 92 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (4.560) is normal, around the industry mean (3.845). P/E Ratio (28.108) is within average values for comparable stocks, (15.602). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (3.695) is also within normal values, averaging (7.261). Dividend Yield (0.016) settles around the average of (0.025) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (5.679) is also within normal values, averaging (3.592).
UNP moved above its 50-day moving average on October 20, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend. In 32 of 50 similar past instances, the stock price increased further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 64%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 08, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on UNP as a result. In 53 of 84 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 63%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for UNP just turned positive on October 02, 2026. Looking at past instances where UNP's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 25 of 44 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 57%.
The 10-day moving average for UNP crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 23, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 10 of 20 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 50%.
Following a +3.64% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where UNP advanced for three days, in 179 of 326 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 55%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 79 of 234 cases where UNP Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 34%.
The 10-day RSI Indicator for UNP moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 36 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 19 of the 36 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 53%.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 13 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where UNP declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 46%.
UNP broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 22, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 19 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 26 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 33 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 63, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 42 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. UNP’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 90 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: UNP's P/B Ratio (8.416) is slightly higher than the industry average of (3.845). P/E Ratio (23.676) is within average values for comparable stocks, (15.602). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.721) is also within normal values, averaging (7.261). Dividend Yield (0.019) settles around the average of (0.025) among similar stocks. UNP's P/S Ratio (6.562) is slightly higher than the industry average of (3.592).
CSX | NSC | UNP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 36 | 37 | 35 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 91 Overvalued | 92 Overvalued | 90 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 19 | 41 | 33 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 39 | 52 | 26 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 41 | 45 | 42 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 17 | 9 | 19 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | 75 | n/a |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
UNP's Valuation (90) in the Railroads industry is in the same range as CSX (91) and is in the same range as NSC (92). This means that UNP's stock grew similarly to CSX’s and similarly to NSC’s over the last 12 months.
CSX's Profit vs Risk Rating (19) in the Railroads industry is in the same range as UNP (33) and is in the same range as NSC (41). This means that CSX's stock grew similarly to UNP’s and similarly to NSC’s over the last 12 months.
UNP's SMR Rating (26) in the Railroads industry is in the same range as CSX (39) and is in the same range as NSC (52). This means that UNP's stock grew similarly to CSX’s and similarly to NSC’s over the last 12 months.
CSX's Price Growth Rating (41) in the Railroads industry is in the same range as UNP (42) and is in the same range as NSC (45). This means that CSX's stock grew similarly to UNP’s and similarly to NSC’s over the last 12 months.
NSC's P/E Growth Rating (9) in the Railroads industry is in the same range as CSX (17) and is in the same range as UNP (19). This means that NSC's stock grew similarly to CSX’s and similarly to UNP’s over the last 12 months.
| CSX | NSC | UNP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 36% | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 53% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 54% | 1 day ago 51% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 70% | 1 day ago 59% | 1 day ago 63% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 69% | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 57% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 60% | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 53% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 49% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 55% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 48% | 24 days ago 52% | 17 days ago 46% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 45% | 1 day ago 45% | 1 day ago 50% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 34% |
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CSX’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green while NSC’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and UNP’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CSX’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while NSC’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and UNP’s TA Score reflects 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
CSX (@Railroads) experienced а +6.12% price change this week, while NSC (@Railroads) price change was +4.13% , and UNP (@Railroads) price fluctuated +1.33% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Railroads industry was -1.18%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.58%, and the average quarterly price growth was +0.96%.
CSX is expected to report earnings on Jan 27, 2027.
NSC is expected to report earnings on Jan 27, 2027.
UNP is expected to report earnings on Jan 28, 2027.
The Railroad industry includes passenger and freight transportation services along rail lines. This also includes companies that provide maintenance and switching duties as part of rail services. Within North America, the industry is largely dominated by some large operators. Several short-line railroads serve regional and local routes. Union Pacific Corporation, Canadian National Railway Company, and CSX Corporation are some of the prominent names in the business. The railroad business is relatively cyclical; economic expansion boost the freight services in particular, while economic stagnation often dampens transportation demand.
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CSX has been loosely correlated with WAB. These tickers have moved in lockstep 44% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if CSX jumps, then WAB could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To CSX | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSX | 100% | -1.70% | ||
| WAB - CSX | 44% Loosely correlated | -1.49% | ||
| RAIL - CSX | 19% Poorly correlated | -1.63% | ||
| FSTR - CSX | 18% Poorly correlated | -0.40% | ||
| RVSN - CSX | 0% Poorly correlated | +9.15% | ||
| GBX - CSX | -0% Poorly correlated | -1.78% | ||
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A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, NSC has been closely correlated with UNP. These tickers have moved in lockstep 94% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if NSC jumps, then UNP could also see price increases.
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UNP has been closely correlated with NSC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 94% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if UNP jumps, then NSC could also see price increases.