CSX (NASDAQ:CSX) Price Target Raised to $52.00

Key Points

• Jefferies raised its price target on CSX to $52 (from $50) and kept a "buy" rating, implying roughly a 13.75% upside, while other analysts also lifted targets leaving a consensus of "Moderate Buy" with an average target around $45.02.
• CSX beat Q1 EPS expectations ($0.43 vs. $0.39) but slightly missed revenue ($3.48B vs. ~$3.50B), and management now forecasts material free‑cash‑flow growth (cited >60% FCF growth for 2026).
• Insider activity is mixed — CEO Stephen Angel bought shares while several other executives sold significant stakes — and the stock is trading near its 52‑week high, increasing short‑term valuation and price‑risk concerns.

CSX (NASDAQ:CSX - Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $50.00 to $52.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage presently has a "buy" rating on the transportation company's stock. Jefferies Financial Group's price objective suggests a potential upside of 13.75% from the company's previous close.

CSX has been the subject of a number of other reports. Argus upped their price target on CSX from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on CSX from $42.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Susquehanna restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $39.00 target price on shares of CSX in a report on Friday, January 23rd. New Street Research set a $49.00 price target on CSX in a report on Thursday. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of CSX from $40.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, CSX currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $45.02.

CSX Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:CSX traded up $2.54 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $45.72. The company's stock had a trading volume of 4,206,503 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,410,572. The company has a market cap of $85.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.25. CSX has a 12-month low of $27.18 and a 12-month high of $45.84. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $41.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $38.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.81.

CSX (NASDAQ:CSX - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 22nd. The transportation company reported $0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $3.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.50 billion. CSX had a net margin of 20.50% and a return on equity of 23.88%. CSX's revenue was up 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.34 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that CSX will post 1.84 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Stephen F. Angel acquired 25,000 shares of CSX stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 6th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $40.27 per share, for a total transaction of $1,006,750.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 146,540 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,901,165.80. This represents a 20.57% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Diana B. Sorfleet sold 90,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.56, for a total transaction of $3,740,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 165,613 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,882,876.28. This trade represents a 35.21% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 188,123 shares of company stock valued at $7,454,854 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CSX

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in CSX. Cohen & Steers Inc. boosted its position in shares of CSX by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 8,282,107 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $300,226,000 after purchasing an additional 98,977 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its stake in CSX by 0.3% during the third quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 3,450,199 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $122,516,000 after purchasing an additional 8,639 shares in the last quarter. Cbre Investment Management Listed Real Assets LLC boosted its position in shares of CSX by 81.9% during the third quarter. Cbre Investment Management Listed Real Assets LLC now owns 944,946 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $33,555,000 after buying an additional 425,395 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its holdings in shares of CSX by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 423,312 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $15,345,000 after buying an additional 18,025 shares during the period. Finally, Cohen Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in CSX by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Cohen Capital Management Inc. now owns 278,373 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $9,885,000 after acquiring an additional 1,100 shares during the period. 73.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting CSX

Here are the key news stories impacting CSX this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat on the bottom line — GAAP EPS $0.43 vs. $0.39 expected; operating income and net income rose ~20–25% year over year, driven by cost cuts and efficiency gains. GlobeNewswire: Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management signaled stronger cash generation and raised the outlook — CSX is forecasting material free‑cash‑flow growth (management cited >60% FCF growth for 2026) and noted more shippers are using rail to avoid rising fuel costs. Seeking Alpha: FCF Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised price targets and ratings after the print — Bank of America to $49 (buy), BMO to $45 (market perform), TD Cowen to $45 (buy), providing near-term support/upside to the stock. Benzinga: Analyst Actions TickerReport: TD Cowen
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary is mixed — some analysts highlight a multi‑year earnings expansion opportunity while others warn of near‑term price risk despite strong margins. Seeking Alpha: Mixed Analysis Seeking Alpha: Longer-Term Thesis
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed estimates — Q1 revenue $3.48B vs. ~$3.50B expected, which tempers the EPS beat and raises questions about top‑line momentum. Yahoo Finance: Q1 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Insider activity is mixed — CEO purchased shares but several other executives sold material stakes recently, which can be perceived as a cautionary signal by some investors. QuiverQuant: Insider Trades
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation/price risk — coverage notes the stock is trading near 52‑week highs, which increases vulnerability to profit‑taking and makes any revenue softness more consequential. Investing.com: Price Risk

About CSX

CSX Corporation is a leading North American transportation company that provides rail-based freight services and supply-chain solutions. Its operating subsidiary, CSX Transportation, moves a wide range of goods for customers across multiple industries, using a combination of long-haul rail service, intermodal operations and terminal and yard services. The company focuses on delivering efficient, reliable freight transportation between major production centers, consumption markets and port gateways.

CSX's freight portfolio includes intermodal containers and trailers, bulk commodities, industrial products and specialized unit trains.

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