Canadian National Railway stock posts strong third-quarter results

Published on 10/30/2026 at 16:26 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Canadian National Railway stock followed a stronger quarter with higher adjusted earnings and revenue. CN kept its 2026 outlook unchanged.

Strong quarter, outlook reaffirmed

CN reported third-quarter revenue of C$4.771 billion and net income of C$1.209 billion.
Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 18 percent to C$2.16.
Management kept its full-year adjusted EPS growth outlook and is tracking toward the upper end.
Free cash flow for the first nine months increased 25 percent to C$2.918 billion.

CNI, CA1363751027, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Canadian National Railway Company reported stronger third-quarter results on Friday, October 30, 2026, with revenue growth, higher adjusted earnings and a reaffirmed full-year outlook. The figures were released by GlobeNewswire for the quarter ended September 30.

Revenue growth across key freight markets

Revenue increased 15 percent year over year to C$4.771 billion. Net income rose 6 percent to C$1.209 billion, while diluted earnings per share advanced 9 percent to C$2.00.

CN said gross ton miles and revenue ton miles each increased 4 percent. Grain and fertilizers revenue rose 19 percent, automotive revenue gained 31 percent and petroleum and chemicals revenue increased 17 percent. Coal revenue grew 4 percent, while intermodal revenue advanced 9 percent.

Adjusted earnings outpace reported growth

Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 18 percent to C$2.16. Adjusted operating income increased 16 percent to C$1.862 billion, and the adjusted operating ratio improved to 61.0 percent from 61.4 percent a year earlier.

The adjusted figures exclude C$118 million in asset impairments related to discontinued dispatching and back-office information technology projects, as well as C$14 million in advisory costs related to rail consolidation matters. This makes the adjusted comparison stronger than the reported earnings increase and is relevant when assessing underlying operating performance.

Guidance remains toward upper end

CN continued to expect low single-digit revenue ton-mile growth in 2026 and mid-to-high single-digit growth in adjusted diluted earnings per share. Management said the company is tracking toward the upper end of that range. First-nine-month free cash flow increased 25 percent to C$2.918 billion, while the company repurchased approximately 3.9 million shares for C$676 million during the quarter.

The real-time quote of Canadian National Railway Company stock shows the stock traded at 111.33 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 16:13 CET on Friday, October 30, 2026.