Canadian National Railway Co. vs Nutrien Ltd — how do they compare? Canadian National Railway Co. trades at $126.3 (market cap $76.28B), while Nutrien Ltd trades at $66.6 (market cap $32.05B). The key difference: Canadian National Railway Co. is far larger — about 2.4× Nutrien Ltd's market cap, and Nutrien Ltd pays the higher dividend (3.27%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNI | NTR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.28B | $32.05B |
Sector | Industrials | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $130.58 | $83.94 |
52-Week Low | $90.91 | $53.64 |
Enterprise Value | $92.31B | $43.86B |
Dividend Yield | 2.06% | 3.27% |
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.
Nutrien (NTR) trades at $66.85, up 0.81% today, with a bearish technical signal despite neutral oscillators. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed EPS estimates but beat on revenue, driven by higher potash prices. The company maintains a stable dividend of $0.55 per share and shows improving net income margins, though cash flow trends have weakened. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $76.17 price target, highlighting structural advantages in nitrogen assets.
The outlook is mixed: strong fundamentals and analyst support suggest upside, but technical weakness and volatile earnings pose risks. Key opportunities include exposure to agricultural cycles and cost advantages; risks involve input cost pressures and execution challenges in a competitive fertilizer market.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Created in 2018 as a result of the merger between PotashCorp and Agrium, Nutrien is the world's largest fertilizer producer by capacity. Nutrien produces the three main crop nutrients--nitrogen, potash, and phosphate--although its main focus is potash, where it is the global leader in installed capacity with roughly 20% share. The company is also the largest agricultural retailer in the United States, selling fertilizers, crop chemicals, seeds, and services directly to farm customers through its brick-and-mortar stores and online platforms.
Read more on NTR →