CSX Co. (NASDAQ:CSX) Receives Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

As of October 12, 2024, shares of CSX Co. (NASDAQ:CSX) have been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by the seventeen research firms that are currently analyzing the stock, according to reports from MarketBeat.com. Out of these evaluations, six investment analysts have recommended holding the stock, ten have labeled it as a buy, and one has categorized it as a strong buy. The average 12-month price target set by brokers who have rated the stock in the past year is $39.19.

Several analysts have recently provided insights regarding CSX. Bank of America downgraded CSX from a "buy" to a "neutral" rating, assigning a new target price of $37.00 in their report dated July 8th. Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave CSX an "overweight" rating in their analysis published on August 6th. Benchmark, on the other hand, reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a price target of $40.00 for CSX shares in a report released on August 7th. Additionally, Evercore ISI upgraded CSX to a "strong-buy" rating, also on August 6th. Finally, Susquehanna raised their price target for CSX from $41.00 to $42.00, offering a positive outlook in a report dated October 2nd.

CSX Stock Performance Overview

On the opening of trading on Friday, CSX shares were valued at $34.96. Over the past year, the stock has experienced a low of $29.03 and a high of $40.12. Currently, CSX boasts a market capitalization of $68.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.21, a PEG ratio of 1.90, and a beta of 1.19. The stock's sixty-day moving average price is $33.91, while the two-hundred-day moving average is $34.05. Financial ratios reveal a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, with quick and current ratios of 1.01 and 1.16, respectively.

CSX recently announced its quarterly earnings results on August 5th. The transportation company reported earnings of $0.49 per share, slightly surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.01. It generated revenue of $3.70 billion, aligning with analysts' expectations for the quarter. CSX reported a return on equity standing at 29.11% along with a net margin of 24.52%, showcasing a year-over-year revenue growth of 0%. In the same quarter from the previous year, the company also posted earnings of $0.49 per share. Analysts anticipate that CSX will achieve an earnings per share (EPS) of 1.93 for the current fiscal year.

CSX Dividend Information

CSX has also recently announced a quarterly dividend, scheduled for distribution on December 13th. Investors who are listed as shareholders by November 29th will receive a dividend of $0.12 per share. The dividend's ex-dividend date is set for the same day, November 29th. This results in an annualized dividend of $0.48, leading to a dividend yield of 1.37% based on current stock prices. CSX's dividend payout ratio is currently at 26.37%.

Institutional Activity Involving CSX

Institutional investors have actively been buying and selling shares of CSX. For instance, Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. made a new investment in CSX worth approximately $26,000 during the second quarter. Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. entered a new position in CSX valued at $29,000, while MFA Wealth Advisors LLC invested around $27,000 during the same quarter. Fairscale Capital LLC also initiated a new stake in CSX totaling approximately $32,000. Furthermore, Valued Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in CSX by 172.7% in the first quarter, owning a total of 938 shares worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 594 shares during the previous quarter. Overall, institutional investors and hedge funds hold 73.57% of the company's stock.

Overview of CSX Corporation

CSX Corporation operates as a parent company alongside its subsidiaries, providing rail-based freight transportation services. The firm offers various rail services, including the transportation of intermodal containers and trailers, as well as other related services, such as rail-to-truck transfers and bulk commodity operations. The company is engaged in transporting a wide range of goods, including chemicals, agricultural products, food supplies, minerals, automotive products, forest goods, fertilizers, metals, and equipment, in addition to coal, coke, and iron ore. The latter are delivered to electricity-generating power plants, steel manufacturers, industrial plants, and also exported to deep-water port facilities.

CSX, Stock, Analysis