CSX Gears Up to Report Q3 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

CSX Corporation CSX is scheduled to report third-quarter 2025 results on Oct. 16, after market close.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the third-quarter 2025 earnings has been revised southward by 2.3% over the past 60 days to 43 cents per share. The consensus mark has declined 6.5% from the third-quarter 2024 actuals. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $3.6 billion, indicating a 0.5% decrease from the third-quarter 2024 actuals. CSX has a disappointing earnings surprise history, having lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the preceding four quarters and outpaced the mark in the remaining quarter, the average miss being 2.46%.CSX Corporation Price and EPS Surprise  CSX Corporation price-eps-surprise | CSX Corporation QuoteLet us see how things have shaped up for CSX this earnings season.Factors Likely to Have Influenced CSX's Q3 PerformanceCSX's performance in the to-be-reported quarter is expected to have been significantly impacted by a decline in coal revenues, fuel surcharges and merchandise volume.Our estimate for third-quarter coal revenues is pegged at 481.6 million, indicating a 13% downfall from the year-ago reported figure. For Intermodal revenues, our estimate is pegged at $494.9 million, indicating a 2.8% decline from the year-ago reported figure.Moreover, rail network challenges are anticipated to continue pressuring CSX’s performance in the to-be-reported quarter, with locomotive and crew shortages, along with other service disruptions, undermining operational efficiency and shipment volumes. Persistent supply-chain constraints are likely to have strained service levels, while elevated capital expenditure is expected to have affected the company’s bottom line.What Our Model Says About CSXOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for CSX this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.CSX has an Earnings ESP of -0.86% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).Highlights of CSX’s Q2 EarningsQuarterly earnings per share of 44 cents beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 42 cents but decreased 10.2% on a year-over-year basis on the back of lower revenues. Total revenues of $3.57 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.58 million and declined 3.4% year over year. The downside was due to lower export coal prices, reduced fuel surcharge and a decline in merchandise volume.Stocks to ConsiderHere are a few stocks from the broader Zacks Transportation sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.C.H. Robinson Worldwide CHRW has an Earnings ESP of +0.24% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. CHRW is scheduled to report third-quarter 2025 earnings on Oct. 29. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2025 earnings has been revised 0.78% upward over the past 60 days. CHRW's earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the preceding four quarters, the average beat being 11.83%. United Airlines UAL is scheduled to report third-quarter 2025 results on Oct. 15, after market close.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2025 earnings has been unchanged over the past 60 days at $2.64 per share. The consensus mark has declined 20.7% from the third-quarter 2024 actual. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $15.27 billion, indicating a 2.9% increase from the third-quarter 2024 actual.Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockThis under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CSX Corporation (CSX): Free Stock Analysis Report United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL): Free Stock Analysis Report C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks