• CSX Corporation reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.42, missing the estimated $0.44.
• Revenue for the quarter was $3.54 billion, slightly below the estimated $3.56 billion.
• The company faced a pre-tax, non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $108 million, impacting its financial results.

CSX Corporation (NASDAQ: CSX) is a major player in the freight railroad industry, providing essential rail services across the eastern United States and parts of Canada. The company operates within the Zacks Transportation - Rail industry, facilitating the transportation of various commodities such as chemicals and automotive products. Despite its significant role, CSX recently reported earnings that fell short of expectations.

On January 23, 2025, CSX announced earnings per share (EPS) of $0.42, slightly below the estimated $0.44. This marks a decrease from the $0.45 per share reported in the same quarter the previous year. The earnings miss represents a negative surprise of 2.33%, as highlighted by Zacks. In the previous quarter, CSX also missed expectations, with earnings of $0.46 per share against an anticipated $0.48, resulting in a 4.17% negative surprise.

CSX's revenue for the quarter was $3.54 billion, falling short of the estimated $3.56 billion. This represents a 1.24% decline from the Zacks Consensus Estimate and a decrease from the $3.68 billion reported a year ago. The shortfall was primarily attributed to decreased coal shipments and reduced fuel surcharges. Despite these challenges, CSX has managed to surpass consensus earnings per share estimates twice in the last four quarters.

The company's financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024 were impacted by a pre-tax, non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $108 million. This led to a decrease in operating income to $1.11 billion from $1.32 billion in the same period the previous year. Net income for the quarter was $733 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, down from $882 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2023.

For the full year 2024, CSX reported an operating income of $5.25 billion, reflecting a 5% decline from the previous year. The net income for the year was $3.47 billion, or $1.79 per share, compared to $3.67 billion, or $1.82 per share, in 2023. When adjusted for the goodwill impairment charge, the operating income for the quarter was $1.21 billion, and for the year, it was $5.35 billion. Adjusted net income stood at $815 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, for the quarter, and $3.55 billion, or $1.83 per share, for the year.