For the quarter ended September 2026, CSX (CSX) reported revenue of $4.02 billion, up 12% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.57, compared to $0.44 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.95 billion, representing a surprise of +1.66%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +9.62%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.52.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how CSX performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Operating Margin: 39.1% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 62.7%. Volume - Merchandise - Minerals: 103 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 99.72 thousand. Revenue ton-miles: 50.7 billion versus 52.16 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Revenue per unit - Intermodal: $773.00 versus $789.40 estimated by three analysts on average. Revenue- Coal: $537 million compared to the $539.02 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +9.6% year over year. Revenue- Intermodal: $634 million versus $646.23 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +20.3% change. Revenue- Merchandise- Fertilizers: $118 million versus $139.1 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -6.4% change. Revenue- Merchandise- Chemicals: $790 million versus $780.41 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13.3% change. Revenue- Merchandise- Automotive: $325 million versus $325.11 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.2% change. Revenue- Merchandise- Minerals: $246 million versus $232.96 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +8.9% change. Revenue- Merchandise- Forest Products: $277 million compared to the $276.25 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.2% year over year. Revenue- Total Merchandise: $2.45 billion versus $2.45 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +11.1% change.View all Key Company Metrics for CSX here>>>
Shares of CSX have returned +3.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"
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