CSX Corp Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (CSX)

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- CSX (NYSE:CSX) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of A- . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its attractive valuation levels, expanding profit margins and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• 37.30% is the gross profit margin for CSX CORP which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the strong results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 15.36% trails the industry average.
• CSX CORP reported flat earnings per share in the most recent quarter. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. We feel it is likely to report a decline in earnings in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, CSX CORP increased its bottom line by earning $1.79 versus $1.67 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 0.8% in earnings ($1.78 versus $1.79).
• CSX, with its decline in revenue, slightly underperformed the industry average of 1.9%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly dropped by 2.3%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to not be hurting the bottom line, shown by stable earnings per share.
• The company's current return on equity has slightly decreased from the same quarter one year prior. This implies a minor weakness in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Road & Rail industry and the overall market, CSX CORP's return on equity exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

CSX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides rail-based transportation services. It offers traditional rail service and the transport of intermodal containers and trailers. CSX has a market cap of $23.35 billion and is part of the services sector and transportation industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 12.6, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 14.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

You can view the full CSX Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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For more information on CSX Corp click any of the following:

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• CSX Corp Income Statement