Industries
Freight Railroads
All research in Freight Railroads — 4 reports.
44/100
Wabtec: A Long-Term Business-Owner's Analysis
A rail-equipment, aftermarket, and digital platform business built on an installed base of ~24,600 locomotives; operating margin rose from 9.9% in 2020 to 16.1% in 2025, but at about $201 and roughly 28.5x PE the stock already pays a premium for quality. Rating: Watch.
32/100
Norfolk Southern: A Deep Value Investment Analysis
An Eastern U.S. Class I railroad with 2025 revenue of 12.18 billion and net income of 2.873 billion, but already under acquisition by Union Pacific (1 UNP share + $88.82 cash per share), turning the investment case into event-driven merger arbitrage. On a standalone basis NSC trades at 24.7x P/E and 32.7x P/FCF, with an ideal buy range of $160 to $210 versus the current $314.53, leaving thin margin of safety. Rating Watch: a deep-moat railroad whose price is now driven by a deal, not by standalone value.
43/100
Union Pacific: A Long-Term Owner's Perspective
An irreplaceable rail network spanning two-thirds of the western United States, of exceptionally high quality; but at $265.88 the stock already sits well above fair value, and with the added uncertainty of the Norfolk Southern acquisition, the offer looks aggressive. Rating: Watch.
42/100
CSX Corporation: A Deep-Dive Value Investing Study
One of the two Eastern rail duopolists, with a deep moat and strong cash flow; but at $45.9 the stock trades at 28.2x PE while fair value is only $26–34, a 35%–75% premium that leaves an insufficient margin of safety. Rating: Watch.