CSX Corporation CSX is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 22, after market close.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the second-quarter 2026 earnings has been revised upward by 4.3% over the past 60 days to 49 cents per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $14.9 billion, indicating a 5.45% increase from the second-quarter 2025 actuals.
CSX has an encouraging earnings surprise history, having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the trailing four quarters and missed the mark once in the remaining, delivering an average earnings beat of 3.16%.
CSX Corporation Price and EPS Surprise
CSX Corporation price-eps-surprise | CSX Corporation Quote
Let us see how things are likely to have shaped up for CSX this earnings season.
Factors Likely to Have Influenced CSX's Q2 Performance
CSX's second-quarter performance is expected to have benefited significantly from the upgraded Southeast Mexico Express (“SMX”) service, driven by faster transit times, expanded market reach and enhanced network efficiency.
Our estimate for second-quarter total merchandise revenues is pegged at $2.33 billion, indicating a 3.1% increase from the year-ago reported figure. For coal and intermodal revenues, our estimate is pinned at $506.7 million and $547.1 million, respectively, suggesting 6.2% and 11.4% increase from the year-ago reported figure.
The expanding rail-served facility network, broader market access through new intermodal and interchange agreements, and improved network performance are expected to have further boosted the company's operational efficiency and second-quarter performance.
What Our Model Says About CSX
Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for CSX this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
CSX has an Earnings ESP of +1.66% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Highlights of CSX’s Q1 Earnings
CSX reported mixed first-quarter 2026 results, wherein earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues missed the mark.
Quarterly earnings per share of 43 cents surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 39 cents and increased 26% on a year-over-year basis. Total revenues of $3.48 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.51 billion. The top line increased 2% year over year, driven by higher merchandise pricing, intermodal volume growth, higher domestic coal revenues and increased fuel surcharge revenues.
Other Stocks to Consider
Here are a few stocks from the broader Zacks Transportation sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
Expeditors International of Washington EXPD has an Earnings ESP of +2.00% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
EXPD is set to report second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug. 4. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Expeditors’ second-quarter 2026 earnings has been revised 2.52% upward over the past 60 days. EXPD’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the preceding four quarters, delivering an average beat of 13.96%.
Schneider National SNDR has an Earnings ESP of +3.76% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. SNDR is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 earnings on July 30.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 earnings has remained flat at 22 cents over the past 60 days. SNDR’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in one of the preceding four quarters (missing the mark twice and met the mark once in the remaining three quarters). The average miss is 17.97%.
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CSX Corporation (CSX): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).