A O Smith Corp vs Canadian National Railway Co. — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $63.65 (market cap $8.65B), while Canadian National Railway Co. trades at $126.3 (market cap $76.28B). The key difference: Canadian National Railway Co. is far larger — about 8.8× A O Smith Corp's market cap, and A O Smith Corp pays the higher dividend (2.26%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | CNI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.65B | $76.28B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $130.58 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $90.91 |
Enterprise Value | $9.15B | $92.31B |
Dividend Yield | 2.26% | 2.06% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
A.O. Smith Corporation (AOS) trades at $62.53, showing modest daily gains of 0.19%. The stock maintains strong profitability with 13.15% net margins and 27.13% ROE, though recent Q1 2026 earnings missed expectations. Technical indicators suggest a bullish trend with the current price near key support at $62. Recent leadership transition with Kevin Wheeler's retirement and Stephen Shafer assuming chairman role adds management continuity.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic with a $67.25 consensus price target offering 7.5% upside potential. Strong North American performance and dividend growth provide support, but higher input costs and weaker China demand present headwinds. The stock's valuation appears reasonable at 17.74 P/E, though recent Zacks Strong Sell ratings warrant monitoring.
CNI trades at $126.29, up 0.91% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and bullish moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating estimates with EPS of $1.50, and raised its full-year guidance, driven by record grain volumes and operational efficiency. Financials show solid profitability with a net income margin of 26.92% and ROE of 22.02%, though valuation ratios like P/E of 22.62 appear elevated.
The outlook is positive due to robust operational performance and raised guidance, but risks include stretched valuation, economic sensitivity, and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $152.38 price target, implying potential upside, though recent downgrades highlight valuation concerns.
Trailing returns across standard periods
A.O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets comprehensive lines of residential and commercial gas, gas tankless, and electric water heaters. Supplementary products include water heating equipment, condensing and noncondensing boilers, and water system tanks. The company's two operating segments are by geographic region: North America (majority of total revenue) and the Rest of the World. A material portion of sales in North America derive from replacing existing products, and the company utilizes a wholesale distribution channel and multiple selling locations. The Rest of the World segment sells primarily to Asian countries and operates sales offices to expand distribution and market its product portfolio.
Read more on AOS →Canadian National's railway spans Canada from coast to coast and extends through Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico. In 2019, CN delivered almost 6 million carloads over its 19,600 miles of track. CN generated roughly CAD 14 billion in total revenue by hauling intermodal containers (25% of consolidated revenue), petroleum and chemicals (21%), grain and fertilizers (16%), forest products (12%), metals and mining (11%), automotive shipments (6%), and coal (4%). Other items constitute the remaining revenue.
Read more on CNI →