Canadian National (CNI Quick QuoteCNI - Free Report) reported $3.02 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.4%. EPS of $1.33 for the same period compares to $1.26 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3 billion, representing a surprise of +0.98%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +3.91%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.28.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how CN performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Operating Ratio: 61.4% versus the six-analyst average estimate of 62%.
• Carloads - Total: 1.37 million compared to the 1.34 million average estimate based on four analysts.
• Carloads - Coal: 122 thousand versus 121.2 thousand estimated by four analysts on average.
• Carloads - Forest Products: 68 thousand compared to the 70.68 thousand average estimate based on four analysts.
• Carloads - Automotive: 52 thousand versus 50.51 thousand estimated by four analysts on average.
• Carloads - Intermodal: 576 thousand versus 549.92 thousand estimated by four analysts on average.
• Revenue Ton Miles - Petroleum & Chemicals: 11.66 billion versus 11.58 billion estimated by four analysts on average.
• Carloads - Petroleum & Chemicals: 162 thousand compared to the 159.34 thousand average estimate based on four analysts.
• Revenue Ton Miles (RTM): 57.19 billion versus 57.38 billion estimated by four analysts on average.
• Revenue Ton Miles - Metals & Minerals: 6.87 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of 6.94 billion.
• Revenue Ton Miles - Automotive: 776 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of 786.12 million.
• Carloads - Metals & Minerals: 225 thousand compared to the 226.74 thousand average estimate based on four analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for CN here>>>

Shares of CN have returned -1.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.