CN (CNI) Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

Canadian National (CNI) reported $3.28 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 1.8%. EPS of $1.48 for the same period compares to $1.55 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.25 billion, representing a surprise of +1.14%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +1.37%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.46.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

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 CN performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Gross ton miles (GTM): 118,687 million versus 118,272.3 million estimated by three analysts on average.

• Carloads - Intermodal: 522 thousand versus 510.08 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.

• Carloads - Grain & Fertilizers: 187 thousand compared to the 184.81 thousand average estimate based on three analysts.

• Carloads - Coal: 125 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 126.34 thousand.

• Carloads - Total: 1,388 thousand versus 1,380.4 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.

• Revenue Ton Miles - Automotive: 850 million versus 823.11 million estimated by three analysts on average.

• Revenue Ton Miles (RTM): 61,136 million compared to the 61,233.11 million average estimate based on three analysts.

• Revenue Ton Miles - Petroleum & Chemicals: 11,931 million versus 11,596.24 million estimated by three analysts on average.

• Revenue Ton Miles - Metals & Minerals: 6,986 million compared to the 6,833.96 million average estimate based on three analysts.

• Revenue Ton Miles - Forest Products: 5,612 million compared to the 5,733.09 million average estimate based on three analysts.

• Revenue Ton Miles - Coal: 5,448 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of 5,470.87 million.

• Revenue Ton Miles - Grain & Fertilizers: 18,341 million compared to the 18,079.26 million average estimate based on three analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for CN here>>>

Shares of CN have returned -0.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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