CSX CorpCSXCOMMENTFeb 19, 2016Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 05, 2026. Market Open.
It broke out last December. After consolidating, it's breaking out again. For traders, he likes $43, the rising 50-day average, at a minimum will lock in a gain but allow you to stay in the stock long enough. For investors, $43-44 is support and will take out $47. There's earnings growth. Will pass $50.
The market is speculating if CSX will merge with another railroad, but CS has only 3 years under this president to do it, since another president likely won't give that much latitude to an already-concentrated industry. And the Norfolk Southern-Union Pacific is hitting speed bumps. He wouldn't buy CSX based on takeover speculation, but on improving business. Yesterday's quarter: a modest top and bottom line miss, but strong operating metrics and a 1% YOY volume increase and offered a positive full-year forecast including revenue growth and operating margin expansion. CSX will do fine in a stagnant economy and be a big winner if the economy picks up.
This has been a really tough part of the market. For the Eastern rails in particular there is the coal exposure. With natural gas prices as low as they are, there was a 15% decline in coal volume last year, and another 20% this year. This quarter has guided really weak, and then improving from there. Has cost initiatives that they still have to get down. Right now this is a tough place to be. Looking forward to infrastructure that the rails have, especially at this time with how much they have pulled back, she is still Long the stock.