CSX (CSX) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

CSX (CSX) reported $3.54 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 3.8%. EPS of $0.42 for the same period compares to $0.45 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.24% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.58 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.43, the EPS surprise was -2.33%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.Here is how CSX performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Operating Margin: 31.3% versus 64.5% estimated by five analysts on average. Revenue per unit - Intermodal: $705 compared to the $713.29 average estimate based on four analysts. Volume - Merchandise - Chemicals: 171 thousand versus the four-analyst average estimate of 169.92 thousand. Volume - Merchandise - Agricultural and Food Products: 116 thousand compared to the 123.2 thousand average estimate based on four analysts. Revenue- Coal: $499 million compared to the $510.69 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -19.5% year over year. Revenue- Intermodal: $526 million compared to the $525.77 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -4.7% year over year. Revenue- Merchandise- Fertilizers: $125 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $130.32 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -7.4%. Revenue- Merchandise- Chemicals: $708 million compared to the $710.15 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.1% year over year. Revenue- Merchandise- Automotive: $296 million compared to the $308.92 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -5.7% year over year. Revenue- Merchandise- Minerals: $189 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $180.92 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +5.6%. Revenue- Merchandise- Forest Products: $257 million versus $257.67 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2.4% change. Revenue- Total Merchandise: $2.19 billion compared to the $2.22 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.4% year over year. View all Key Company Metrics for CSX here>>>Shares of CSX have returned +2.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +24.1% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CSX Corporation (CSX): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks