CNI vs NSC

For growth investors, Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) is the stronger pick with 1.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 5% for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC). Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) offers the better valuation at 20. 0x trailing P/E (13. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) a "Hold" — based on 51 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) is the cheapest at 20.

0x versus Norfolk Southern Corporation at 24. 6x. On forward P/E, Canadian National Railway Company is actually cheaper at 13. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Canadian National Railway Company wins at 1. 60x versus Norfolk Southern Corporation's 2. 54x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) delivered a total return of +16.

7%, compared to +9. 1% for Canadian National Railway Company (CNI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NSC returned +301. 1% versus CNI's +121. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

63β versus Canadian National Railway Company's 0. 67β — meaning CNI is approximately 5% more volatile than NSC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 101% versus 110% for Norfolk Southern Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) is pulling ahead at 1.

4% versus 0. 5% for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Norfolk Southern Corporation grew EPS 10. 2% year-over-year, compared to 7. 8% for Canadian National Railway Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, CNI leads at 0. 4% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) is the more profitable company, earning 27.

3% net margin versus 23. 6% for Norfolk Southern Corporation — meaning it keeps 27. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CNI leads at 38. 1% versus 32. 9% for NSC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CNI leads at 44. 9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 60x versus Norfolk Southern Corporation's 2. 54x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) trades at 13. 8x forward P/E versus 25. 9x for Norfolk Southern Corporation — 12. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NSC: 5. 9% to $332. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) offers the highest yield at 2. 3%, versus 1. 7% for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

63), 1. 7% yield, +301. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NSC: +301. 1%, CNI: +121. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.