STLD vs. CNI
STLD (Steel Dynamics, Inc.) and CNI (Canadian National Railway Company) are both stocks. STLD operates in Steel (Basic Materials), while CNI operates in Railroads (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, STLD returned 29.92%/yr vs 9.51%/yr for CNI. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
STLD vs. CNI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, STLD achieves a 67.39% return, which is significantly higher than CNI's 21.78% return. Over the past 10 years, STLD has outperformed CNI with an annualized return of 29.92%, while CNI has yielded a comparatively lower 9.51% annualized return.
STLD
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- 19.27%
- YTD
- 67.39%
- 6M
- 65.42%
- 1Y
- 117.36%
- 3Y*
- 40.23%
- 5Y*
- 36.27%
- 10Y*
- 29.92%
CNI
- 1D
- 0.60%
- 1M
- 6.94%
- YTD
- 21.78%
- 6M
- 22.98%
- 1Y
- 15.90%
- 3Y*
- 3.44%
- 5Y*
- 3.57%
- 10Y*
- 9.51%
STLD vs. CNI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
STLD Steel Dynamics, Inc. | 67.39% | 50.70% | -1.99% | 22.75% | 60.14% | 71.42% | 12.46% | 16.78% | -29.02% | 23.34% |
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 21.78% | -0.10% | -17.51% | 7.84% | -1.86% | 13.70% | 23.66% | 24.26% | -8.49% | 25.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between STLD 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 | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 26, 1996 | 0.37 |
Fundamentals
STLD:
$40.94B
CNI:
$72.80B
STLD:
$9.33
CNI:
CA$7.60
STLD:
30.30
CNI:
21.89
STLD:
2.19
CNI:
5.96
STLD:
4.47
CNI:
4.73
STLD:
$19.01B
CNI:
CA$17.29B
STLD:
$2.66B
CNI:
CA$7.64B
STLD:
$2.23B
CNI:
CA$8.60B
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Return for Risk
STLD vs. CNI — Risk / Return Rank
STLD
CNI
STLD vs. CNI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| STLD | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.81 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.50 | 1.14 | +0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.81 | 1.13 | +4.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 19.49 | 2.08 | +17.41 |
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Drawdowns
STLD vs. CNI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum STLD drawdown since its inception was -87.05%, which is greater than CNI's maximum drawdown of -46.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for STLD and CNI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| STLD | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.05% | -46.66% | -40.39% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.33% | -14.15% | -6.18% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -28.66% | -29.14% | +0.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.20% | -29.14% | -3.06% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -68.46% | -29.15% | -39.31% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -5.55% | +5.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -33.27% | -9.49% | -23.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.04% | 7.68% | -1.64% |
Volatility
STLD vs. CNI - Volatility Comparison
Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) has a higher volatility of 9.70% compared to Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) at 4.12%. This indicates that STLD'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.
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Volatility by Period
| STLD | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.70% | 4.12% | +5.58% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.96% | 17.30% | +7.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.38% | 21.90% | +11.48% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.03% | 22.38% | +15.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 39.31% | 22.67% | +16.64% |
Dividends
STLD vs. CNI - Dividend Comparison
STLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.72%, less than CNI's 2.20% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 2.20% | 2.58% | 2.43% | 1.85% | 1.41% | 1.61% | 1.59% | 1.79% | 2.01% | 2.00% | 2.23% | 2.24% |
STLD Steel Dynamics, Inc. | 0.72% | 1.18% | 1.61% | 1.44% | 1.39% | 1.68% | 2.71% | 2.82% | 2.50% | 1.44% | 1.57% | 3.08% |
Financials
STLD vs. CNI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Steel Dynamics, Inc. and Canadian National Railway Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
STLD vs. CNI - Profitability Comparison
STLD - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Steel Dynamics, Inc. reported a gross profit of 763.22M and revenue of 5.20B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 14.7%.
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%.
STLD - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Steel Dynamics, Inc. reported an operating income of 538.00M and revenue of 5.20B, resulting in an operating margin of 10.3%.
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%.
STLD - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Steel Dynamics, Inc. reported a net income of 403.44M and revenue of 5.20B, resulting in a net margin of 7.8%.
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
STLD 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.
STLD has higher volatility (9.70%) compared to CNI (4.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, STLD dropped -87.05% vs CNI's -46.66%.
STLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.54 vs 0.73), 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.
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