Canadian National Railway Co. vs iShares Gold Trust — how do they compare? Canadian National Railway Co. trades at $126.3 (market cap $76.28B), while iShares Gold Trust trades at $82.86. The key difference: Canadian National Railway Co. pays a 2.06% dividend while iShares Gold Trust pays none, and Canadian National Railway Co. is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares Gold Trust nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNI | IAU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.28B | — |
Sector | Industrials | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture |
52-Week High | $130.58 | $101.57 |
52-Week Low | $90.91 | $62.49 |
Enterprise Value | $92.31B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.06% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
IAU, the iShares Gold Trust ETF, trades at $82.98 with a 0.57% daily gain amid bullish technical signals from moving averages. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as spot gold reached two-month highs above $4,430/oz following cooling CPI data. While oscillators show bearish signals with RSI at overbought levels, institutional interest remains strong with Deane Retirement Strategies increasing its stake by 36.5% in the latest quarter.
Outlook remains positive as gold gains support from inflation dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and central bank buying. Key risks include potential Fed policy shifts and dollar strength. The 0.25% expense ratio makes IAU attractive for conservative investors seeking gold exposure with lower volatility compared to mining stocks.
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 →IAU is a physically backed ETF that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold. It provides a convenient and liquid way for investors to include gold in their portfolios as a potential hedge.
Read more on IAU →