Canadian National Railway Co. vs Dollar General Corp. — how do they compare? Canadian National Railway Co. trades at $126.4 (market cap $76.28B), while Dollar General Corp. trades at $119.51 (market cap $26.49B). The key difference: Canadian National Railway Co. is far larger — about 2.9× Dollar General Corp.'s market cap, and Canadian National Railway Co. pays the higher dividend (2.06%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNI | DG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.28B | $26.49B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $130.58 | $156.26 |
52-Week Low | $90.91 | $95.94 |
Enterprise Value | $92.31B | $40.93B |
Dividend Yield | 2.06% | 1.97% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Canadian National Railway (CNI) trades at $125.14, down 1.15% with a bearish technical signal. The company reported strong Q2 2026 results with EPS of $1.50 beating estimates by 7.9% and raised full-year guidance, driven by record grain volumes and improved operational efficiency. Fundamentals show solid profitability with 26.92% net margin and 22.02% ROE, though valuation multiples appear elevated with P/E of 22.62. Recent news highlights continued infrastructure investment and customer growth projects exceeding $2 billion in 2025.
CNI presents a mixed outlook with strong operational execution offset by valuation concerns. The 21.8% upside to consensus price target of $152.38 offers potential, but rising debt levels and competitive pressures pose risks. Analyst sentiment is cautious with 60.79% hold ratings, suggesting waiting for clearer evidence of sustained earnings growth before committing new capital.
Dollar General (DG) trades at $122.39, down 3.32% on the day, with a bearish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 16.98 and P/S of 0.62, indicating potential undervaluation. Recent earnings have consistently beaten estimates, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.00 surpassing the $1.89 expectation. Positive cash flow trends and a declining debt-to-asset ratio (20.03 in 2025) support financial health. A dividend of $0.59 is scheduled for payment on July 21, 2026.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, with a consensus price target of $128.45 offering ~5% upside. Analyst sentiment is bullish (52% Buy ratings), but risks include competitive pressure from Walmart and Amazon, margin compression from rising costs, and market saturation. Revenue growth is projected to reach $43.1B in 2026, though net margin remains thin at 3.63%.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →A leading American discount retailer, Dollar General operates over 18,000 stores in 47 states, selling branded and private-label products across a wide variety of categories. In fiscal 2021, 77% of net sales came from consumables (including paper and cleaning products, packaged and perishable food, tobacco, and health and beauty items), 12% from seasonal merchandise (such as toys, greeting cards, decorations, and gardening supplies), 7% from home products (for example, kitchen supplies, small appliances, and cookware), and 4% from basic apparel. Stores average roughly 7,400 square feet, and about 75% of Dollar General locations are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The firm emphasizes value, with most of its items sold at everyday low prices of $5 or less.
Read more on DG →