CSX (NASDAQ:CSX) Sets New 12-Month High Following Earnings Beat

Key Points

• CSX shares hit a new 52-week high after the company reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with the stock trading as high as $52.25 following the earnings release.
• The railroad operator posted EPS of $0.54, beating analyst estimates of $0.52, while revenue came in at $3.94 billion, also ahead of expectations and up 10.1% year over year.
• CSX also raised its 2026 outlook, and several analysts responded by lifting price targets to $54, helping support bullish sentiment on the stock.

CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $52.25 and last traded at $52.8610, with a volume of 33713 shares. The stock had previously closed at $49.93.

The transportation company reported $0.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.02. CSX had a return on equity of 24.47% and a net margin of 21.55%.The business had revenue of $3.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.89 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.44 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis.

CSX Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be issued a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 31st. CSX's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.36%.

Trending Headlines about CSX

Here are the key news stories impacting CSX this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CSX reported Q2 diluted EPS of $0.54, ahead of estimates, on record revenue of $3.94 billion, with operating income and margins also improving sharply year over year. CSX Corp. Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its 2026 outlook after the beat, reinforcing confidence that demand trends and pricing power remain supportive of earnings growth. CSX generates record revenue in Q2, beats profit expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts turned more constructive following the results, with TD Cowen and UBS reiterating Buy ratings and lifting price targets to $54, which can support sentiment around the stock. CSX Earns Buy Rating on Strong Q2 Beat, Raised Guidance and Upside to $54 Price Target Driven by Margin Expansion

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on CSX shares. Vertical Research downgraded shares of CSX from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $44.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Citigroup started coverage on shares of CSX in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. Weiss Ratings lowered CSX from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on CSX from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their price objective on CSX from $46.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $49.83.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other CSX news, CFO Kevin S. Boone sold 136,708 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.70, for a total transaction of $6,384,263.60. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 208,622 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,742,647.40. This represents a 39.59% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director John J. Zillmer sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.45, for a total value of $464,500.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 353,714 shares of the company's stock, valued at $16,430,015.30. The trade was a 2.75% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CSX. City Holding Co. boosted its position in CSX by 2.2% during the second quarter. City Holding Co. now owns 38,054 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $1,808,000 after acquiring an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. Allied Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of CSX during the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. Trust Point Inc. boosted its position in shares of CSX by 3.1% in the second quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 14,946 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $710,000 after acquiring an additional 444 shares during the last quarter. Longboard Asset Management LP purchased a new stake in CSX in the second quarter valued at approximately $203,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in CSX by 10.0% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 76,675 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $3,644,000 after purchasing an additional 6,985 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.57% of the company's stock.

CSX Stock Up 5.7%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.83. The firm's 50-day moving average is $47.41 and its 200 day moving average is $42.97. The stock has a market cap of $98.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.21.

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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