BAM vs. CNI

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

BAM (Brookfield Asset Management Inc.) and CNI (Canadian National Railway Company) are both stocks. BAM operates in Asset Management (Financial Services), while CNI operates in Railroads (Industrials). Over the past 3 years, BAM returned 18.77%/yr vs 3.30%/yr for CNI. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BAM vs. CNI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM) and Canadian National Railway Company (CNI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BAM achieves a -6.95% return, which is significantly lower than CNI's 23.41% return.

BAM

• 1D: -0.81%
• 1M: 0.55%
• YTD: -6.95%
• 6M: -6.63%
• 1Y: -11.72%
• 3Y*: 18.77%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

CNI

• 1D: 1.52%
• 1M: 8.28%
• YTD: 23.41%
• 6M: 27.91%
• 1Y: 18.58%
• 3Y*: 3.30%
• 5Y*: 3.68%
• 10Y*: 9.42%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BAM vs. CNI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
BAM Brookfield Asset Management Inc.	-6.95%	-0.24%	39.70%	45.61%	-10.41%
CNI Canadian National Railway Company	23.41%	-0.10%	-17.51%	7.84%	-7.06%

Correlation

The correlation between BAM and CNI is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.42
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 2, 2022	0.41

Fundamentals

Market Cap BAM : $77.32B CNI : $74.18B
EPS BAM : $1.55 CNI : $7.60
PE Ratio BAM : 30.79 CNI : 15.96
PS Ratio BAM : 15.28 CNI : 4.34
PB Ratio BAM : 6.88 CNI : 3.45
Total Revenue (TTM) BAM : $5.08B CNI : $17.29B
Gross Profit (TTM) BAM : $3.26B CNI : $7.64B
EBITDA (TTM) BAM : $2.35B CNI : $8.60B

Return for Risk

BAM vs. CNI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BAM

BAM Risk / Return Rank: 24
BAM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
BAM Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
BAM Omega Ratio Rank: 22
BAM Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
BAM Martin Ratio Rank: 27

CNI

CNI Risk / Return Rank: 63
CNI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
CNI Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
CNI Omega Ratio Rank: 59
CNI Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
CNI Martin Ratio Rank: 62

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BAM vs. CNI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM) and Canadian National Railway Company (CNI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	BAM	CNI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.40	0.85	-1.26
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.38	1.24	-1.61
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.95	1.16	-0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.39	1.31	-1.70
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.72	2.41	-3.13
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BAM vs. CNI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BAM Sharpe Ratio is -0.40, which is lower than the CNI Sharpe Ratio of 0.85. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BAM and CNI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BAM	CNI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.40	0.85	-1.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.17	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.42	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	0.59	-0.05

Drawdowns

BAM vs. CNI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BAM drawdown since its inception was -30.37%, smaller than the maximum CNI drawdown of -46.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BAM and CNI.

Drawdown Indicators

	BAM	CNI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.37%	-46.66%	+16.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.37%	-14.15%	-16.22%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-30.37%	-29.14%	-1.23%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-29.14%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-29.15%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-21.64%	-4.28%	-17.36%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.74%	-9.50%	+0.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	16.29%	7.68%	+8.61%

Volatility

BAM vs. CNI - Volatility Comparison

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM) has a higher volatility of 8.21% compared to Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) at 5.07%. This indicates that BAM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CNI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BAM	CNI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.21%	5.07%	+3.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.75%	17.35%	+4.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	29.18%	21.88%	+7.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	30.10%	22.38%	+7.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.10%	22.68%	+7.42%

Dividends

BAM vs. CNI - Dividend Comparison

BAM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.94%, more than CNI's 2.15% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BAM Brookfield Asset Management Inc.	3.94%	3.34%	2.80%	3.19%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
CNI Canadian National Railway Company	2.15%	2.58%	2.43%	1.85%	1.41%	1.61%	1.59%	1.79%	2.01%	2.00%	2.23%	2.24%

Financials

BAM vs. CNI - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and Canadian National Railway Company over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

BAM - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Brookfield Asset Management Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 1.34B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.

CNI - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a gross profit of 1.88B and revenue of 4.39B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 42.8%.

BAM - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Brookfield Asset Management Inc. reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 1.34B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.

CNI - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported an operating income of 1.55B and revenue of 4.39B, resulting in an operating margin of 35.4%.

BAM - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Brookfield Asset Management Inc. reported a net income of 617.00M and revenue of 1.34B, resulting in a net margin of 46.1%.

CNI - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a net income of 1.15B and revenue of 4.39B, resulting in a net margin of 26.2%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BAM and CNI in my portfolio?

BAM and CNI have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BAM or CNI?

BAM has higher volatility (8.21%) compared to CNI (5.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BAM dropped -30.37% vs CNI's -46.66%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CNI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.85 vs -0.40), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.