LIVE
CP
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited · Industrials - Railroads
$86.03
-0.12% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
CNI
Canadian National Railway Company · Industrials - Railroads
$113.43
+0.75% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
CP
2
CNI
2
Comparison scoreboard
MIXED SETUPAI Score
CP ✓46.6
CNI 38.6
1Y Return
CP +8.03%
CNI ✓+13.44%
Fwd P/E
CP 14.59
CNI ✓12.96
Target Up.
CP ✓+4.49%
CNI +2.32%
Op. Margin
CP N/A
CNI N/A
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
CP vs CNI Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
CPKC (CP) now holds a unique strategic advantage as the only single-line railroad connecting Canada, the U.S., and Mexico following its Kansas City Southern acquisition, while CNI remains the stronger transcontinental Canadian franchise with a long track record of operational excellence. CP's Mexico growth story is the key differentiator between the two.
CP vs CNI compares the two dominant Canadian transcontinental railroads, with CPKC's unique cross-border North American corridor representing a new growth vector versus CNI's more mature but operationally excellent franchise.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
CP and CNI are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. CNI leads on both 1-year return (+13.44%) and forward P/E (12.96x vs 14.59x for CP), a relatively favorable combination of momentum and valuation. Analyst consensus implies similar upside for both: +4.49% for CP and +2.32% for CNI.
Normalized 1Y performance
CP
CNI
Recent returns
CP
CNI
Analyst price targets & sentiment
CP · 13 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (1.7/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$71.58
analyst high$102.16
analyst mean$89.89
current price$86.03
+4.5% upside to analyst mean
CNI · 12 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.2/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$95.71
analyst high$135.56
analyst mean$116.07
current price$113.43
+2.3% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
CP may suit investors who:
- →Want exposure to the unique Canada-U.S.-Mexico single-line rail corridor
- →Believe nearshoring and growing Mexico trade volumes will drive long-term CPKC growth
- →Are comfortable with KCS integration execution risk in exchange for a differentiated network position
CNI may suit investors who:
- →Want exposure to the broader Canadian transcontinental railroad franchise
- →Value CN's track record of strong operating ratio discipline and shareholder returns
- →Prefer a more mature, established railroad without the integration complexity of a recent major merger
Performance & AI score
| Metric | CP | CNI |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 46.6 | 38.6 |
| AI rank | #656 | #1258 |
| Latest close | $86.03 | $113.43 |
| 1M return | -0.12% | +0.75% |
| 6M return | +17.26% | +17.87% |
| 1Y return | +8.03% | +13.44% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | CP | CNI |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $10.87K (+8.7%) started 2025-06-18 | $11.56K (+15.6%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $12.25K (+22.5%) started 2021-06-18 | $13.25K (+32.5%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $40.56K (+305.6%) started 2016-06-20 | $28.41K (+184.1%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | CP | CNI |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $76.37B | $68.81B |
| Trailing P/E | 26.80 | 20.85 |
| Forward P/E | 14.59 | 12.96 |
| Price/Sales | 5.10 | 3.98 |
| EV/Revenue | 6.94 | 5.42 |
| Analyst target | $89.89 | $116.07 |
| Target upside | +4.49% | +2.32% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | CP | CNI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | -2.50% | -0.50% |
| Earnings growth | -3.10% | 1.10% |
| EPS growth | -3.10% | +1.10% |
| FCF margin | +12.70% | +15.04% |
| Operating margin | N/A | N/A |
| Profit margin | 27.21% | 27.23% |
| ROIC proxy | 8.43% | 21.85% |
| Return on equity | 8.43% | 21.85% |
| Dividend yield | 1.07% | 2.23% |
| Beta | 1.21 | 1.00 |
| Debt/equity | 51.29 | 105.66 |
| Current ratio | 0.67 | 0.67 |
| Quick ratio | 0.51 | 0.40 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
CP max drawdown16.23%
CNI max drawdown14.15%
CP max wkly drop6.14%
CNI max wkly drop6.42%
5Y risk snapshot
CP max drawdown25.88%
CNI max drawdown29.13%
CP max wkly drop10.59%
CNI max wkly drop9.39%
10Y risk snapshot
CP max drawdown33.70%
CNI max drawdown29.15%
CP max wkly drop21.11%
CNI max wkly drop17.27%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | CP | CNI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +8.03% | +13.44% |
| CAGR | +8.03% | +13.45% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.26 | 0.48 | |
| Max drawdown | 16.23% | 14.15% | |
| Max daily drop | 4.06% | 5.93% | |
| Max wkly drop | 6.14% | 6.42% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +17.78% | +19.50% |
| CAGR | +3.33% | +3.63% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.07 | 0.07 | |
| Max drawdown | 25.88% | 29.13% | |
| Max daily drop | 6.60% | 6.23% | |
| Max wkly drop | 10.59% | 9.39% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +269.35% | +131.69% |
| CAGR | +13.97% | +8.77% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.46 | 0.29 | |
| Max drawdown | 33.70% | 29.15% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.57% | 11.66% | |
| Max wkly drop | 21.11% | 17.27% |
Business comparison
| Category | CP | CNI |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited | Canadian National Railway Company |
| Sector | Industrials - Railroads | Industrials - Railroads |
| Industry | N/A | N/A |
| Core business | Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is the only single-line railroad connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico, following its 2023 acquisition of Kansas City Southern, transporting grain, potash, energy, intermodal, and automotive products across the continent. | Canadian National is a transcontinental Canadian railroad with a network spanning Canada from coast to coast and reaching into the U.S. Gulf Coast, transporting petroleum, chemicals, grain, fertilizers, coal, and intermodal freight. |
| Investor focus | Investors track CPKC's cross-border Mexico corridor growth, volume and yield trends following the Kansas City Southern integration, and operating ratio improvement as the combined network matures. | Investors track CN's operating ratio, volume trends across its diverse commodity segments, and its ability to sustain pricing power and capital returns while managing cyclical freight demand. |
CP strengths
- →Unique single-line Canada-U.S.-Mexico corridor with no direct rail-on-rail competitor for cross-border freight
- →Growing Mexico trade corridor presents a significant long-term volume growth opportunity
- →Kansas City Southern integration creates a new North American trade network with structural franchise advantages
CNI strengths
- →Only transcontinental railroad in Canada connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
- →Diverse commodity mix including grain, petroleum, intermodal, and potash reduces single-commodity risk
- →Long track record of strong operating ratio discipline and shareholder returns
Risks to watch — CP
- →Kansas City Southern integration complexity and timeline for achieving full synergy benefits
- →Mexico business is sensitive to trade policy, nearshoring trends, and cross-border regulatory risk
- →Operating ratio is still improving from a more challenging post-merger baseline
Risks to watch — CNI
- →Agricultural freight volumes are sensitive to crop yields, weather, and export demand
- →Lost out to CP in the Kansas City Southern acquisition, leaving CN without a direct Mexico corridor
- →Competition with CP for cross-border U.S. freight corridors has intensified
Frequently asked questions
Free public comparison
Want deeper AI forecasts?
This comparison page is public and free forever. Subscribers can unlock saved watchlists, full AI rankings, detailed forecasts, and interactive analysis tools.
More comparisons
Browse all 1,000 comparisons →