CSX CORP (CSX) Stock Analysis

Analysis from 10-Q filed 2025-10-16. Data as of Q1 2026.

Overall Grade: F (Concerning)

Grade F (Concerning). ROIC 9.9%. FCF margin 13.5%. D/E 1.3x. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Metric	Value	Context
ROIC	9.9%	Near cost of capital
FCF Margin	13.5%	Healthy cash flow
Debt/Equity	1.3x	Moderate leverage

ROIC 9.9% — Top 50% of sector peers. FCF margin 13.5% — Top 25%.

Explore CSX CORP: Earnings History | Filings | ROIC Analysis

Programmatic access: Available via MCP at mcp.metricduck.com. Tools for CSX: get_company_overview, get_filing_index (lens: debt_stress, management_outlook, risk_trajectory), get_filing_changes, get_metric_history, compare_companies, screen_filing_signals.

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Profitability: CSX CORP earns 9.9% ROIC, Top 50% in Transportation

ROIC TTM 9.9%, sector median 6.3%, Top 50%. DuPont: NOPAT margin 25.7% × asset turnover 0.3x. Operating margin 33.4%. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Metric	CSX	Rating	Context
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)	9.9%	Adequate	Above sector median of 6.3%
Return on Equity (ROE)	23.8%	Excellent	Efficient use of shareholder equity
Operating Margin	33.4%	Excellent	Efficient operations

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Cash Flow: CSX CORP generates $1.9B FCF at 13.5% margin, positive NaN/8 quarters

FCF TTM $1.9B. FCF margin 13.5%, Top 25%. OCF/Net income 1.5x. Positive FCF in NaN/8 trailing quarters. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Metric	CSX	Rating	Context
Free Cash Flow Margin	13.5%	Good	Healthy cash generation
Free Cash Flow (TTM)	$1.9B	Good	Positive cash generation
OCF/Net Income	1.5x	Excellent	High earnings quality
FCF Consistency (8Q)	N/A	Warning	Variable cash flow

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Balance Sheet: CSX CORP at 1.3x leverage

Debt/Equity 1.3x. Total debt $18.2B, cash & investments $1.1B. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Metric	CSX	Rating	Context
Debt to Equity	1.3x	Adequate	Moderate leverage
Net Cash Position	$-17.0B	Warning	Net debt position

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Valuation: CSX CORP trades at 25.1x earnings

P/E 25.1x. EV/Sales 6.7x. FCF yield 2.5%. Dividend yield 1.3%. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Metric	CSX	Rating	Context
P/E Ratio	25.1x	Adequate	Premium valuation
EV/Sales	6.7x	Adequate	Growth premium priced in
FCF Yield	2.5%	Adequate	Lower cash yield
Dividend Yield	1.3%	Adequate	Growth focus over income

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Capital Allocation: CSX CORP returns 2.4% shareholder yield

Total shareholder yield 2.4% (div 1.3% + buyback 1.1%). Capital returned $1.9B TTM. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Metric	CSX	Rating	Context
Total Shareholder Yield	2.4%	Adequate	Dividend + buyback yield combined
Buyback Yield	1.1%	Adequate	Minimal buyback activity
Total Capital Returned (TTM)	$1.9B	Good	Dividends + buybacks returned to shareholders

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Sector Rankings

Metric	Value	Percentile	vs Median
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)	9.9%	Top 50%	1.6x above
Free Cash Flow Margin	13.5%	Top 25%	2.8x above
Operating Margin	33.4%	Top 5%	5.3x above
Return on Equity (ROE)	23.8%	Top 50%	2.2x above
P/E Ratio	25.1x	N/A	-

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Financial Scorecard

Metric	CSX	Rating	Sector Context
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)	9.9%	Adequate	Top 50% of sector (median: 6.3%)
Free Cash Flow Margin	13.5%	Good	Top 25% of sector (median: 4.8%)
Debt to Equity Ratio	133.7%	Adequate	Elevated but manageable
P/E Ratio (Price-to-Earnings)	25.1x	Adequate	Growth premium
Free Cash Flow Yield	2.5%	Warning	Growth-focused valuation

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is CSX CORP's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)?

CSX CORP (CSX) has a trailing twelve-month Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 9.9%. Sector median 6.3%. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: What is CSX CORP's Free Cash Flow Margin?

CSX CORP (CSX) has a free cash flow margin of 13.5%, generating $1.9 billion in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: What is CSX CORP's P/E ratio and how does it compare to peers?

CSX CORP (CSX) trades at a P/E ratio of 25.1x, which is above the sector median of N/A. EV/Sales 6.7x. FCF yield 2.5%. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: Does CSX CORP pay a dividend?

CSX CORP (CSX) currently pays a dividend yield of 1.3%. Total shareholder yield (dividend + buybacks) 2.4%. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: How much debt does CSX CORP have?

CSX CORP (CSX) has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.3x with total debt of $18.2 billion. Net debt $17.0 billion. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: What is CSX CORP's revenue and earnings growth?

CSX CORP (CSX) declined revenue by 0.9% year-over-year. EPS -2.7% YoY. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: Is CSX CORP buying back stock?

CSX CORP (CSX) repurchased $867.0 million of stock over the trailing twelve months. This represents a buyback yield of 1.1%. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

Q: How does CSX CORP compare to competitors in Transportation?

Compared to other companies in Transportation, CSX CORP (CSX) shows: ROIC 9.9%, sector median 6.3% (Top 50%). FCF margin 13.5%, sector median 4.8% (Top 25%). These rankings are based on MetricDuck's analysis of all Transportation companies with available SEC filings.

Q: What warning signs should I watch for with CSX CORP?

No quantitative warning flags fired for CSX CORP (CSX) on margin trend, FCF trend, ROIC trend, or leverage thresholds. Source: 10-Q filed 2025-10-16.

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Data Source: Data sourced from 10-Q filed 2025-10-16. TTM metrics as of Q1 2026.

Methodology: Financial metrics calculated from SEC 10-K and 10-Q filings using standardized formulas. Sector comparisons use peer group based on SIC code.

Scope: This analysis covers SEC filing fundamentals — profitability, cash flow, balance sheet, and valuation metrics. For analyst estimates and price targets, consult sell-side research.

This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.