Canadian National Railway Co. vs Nutrien Ltd — how do they compare? Canadian National Railway Co. trades at $124.41 (market cap $75.02B), while Nutrien Ltd trades at $68.6 (market cap $32.62B). The key difference: Canadian National Railway Co. is far larger — about 2.3× Nutrien Ltd's market cap, and Nutrien Ltd pays the higher dividend (3.21%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNI | NTR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $75.02B | $32.62B |
Sector | Industrials | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $125.31 | $83.94 |
52-Week Low | $90.91 | $53.64 |
Enterprise Value | $90.48B | $45.79B |
Dividend Yield | 2.07% | 3.21% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Canadian National Railway (CNI) trades at $125.31, up 0.73% with strong technical momentum and bullish moving average signals. The company demonstrates solid fundamentals with 27.23% net income margin and 21.85% ROE, though valuation multiples appear elevated with P/E of 23.44. Recent record grain and propane shipments highlight operational strength, while Q2 2026 earnings due July 24 will be critical for near-term direction.
CNI presents a mixed outlook with strong operational execution offset by premium valuation. The 35% upside to consensus target of $143.25 offers potential, but debt-to-asset ratio rising to 36.61% and competitive pressures warrant caution. Dividend sustainability appears solid with recent $0.92 payout, making it attractive for income investors seeking railroad exposure.
Nutrien (NTR) trades at $67.60, up 3.32% with a bullish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 13.77 and net income margin of 8.58%. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 2026, and analyst consensus is strongly positive with a $79.50 price target. The company maintains solid cash flow from operations at $4.01 billion despite recent net cash outflows.
NTR presents a compelling value opportunity with reasonable valuation metrics and strong analyst support. Key risks include volatile fertilizer prices and global agricultural demand fluctuations. The upcoming Q2 2026 earnings report with expected EPS of $2.89 represents a significant near-term catalyst for price movement.
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 →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 →