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Side-by-side financial comparison of CSX Corporation (CSX) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CSX Corporation is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.5B vs $2.9B, roughly 1.2× Ulta Beauty). CSX Corporation runs the higher net margin — 23.2% vs 8.1%, a 15.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ulta Beauty posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.9% vs 1.7%). CSX Corporation produced more free cash flow last quarter ($793.0M vs $-81.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Ulta Beauty's revenue compounded faster (7.2% CAGR vs -3.0%).

CSX Transportation, known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles (34,000 km) of track, it is the leading subsidiary of CSX Corporation, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.

Ulta Beauty, Inc., formerly known as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. and before 2000 as Ulta3, is an American chain of cosmetic stores headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Ulta Beauty carries both high- and low-end cosmetics, fragrances, nail products, bath and body products, beauty tools and haircare products. Each location has a beauty salon available to the public.

CSX vs ULTA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CSX
CSX
1.2× larger
CSX
$3.5B
$2.9B
ULTA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ULTA
ULTA
+11.2% gap
ULTA
12.9%
1.7%
CSX
Higher net margin
CSX
CSX
15.1% more per $
CSX
23.2%
8.1%
ULTA
More free cash flow
CSX
CSX
$874.6M more FCF
CSX
$793.0M
$-81.6M
ULTA
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ULTA
ULTA
Annualised
ULTA
7.2%
-3.0%
CSX

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Revenue
$3.5B
$2.9B
Net Profit
$807.0M
$230.9M
Gross Margin
40.4%
Operating Margin
29.9%
10.8%
Net Margin
23.2%
8.1%
Revenue YoY
1.7%
12.9%
Net Profit YoY
401.2%
-4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$5.14

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$3.5B
Q4 25
$3.5B
$2.9B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$3.6B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$3.4B
Q4 24
$3.5B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$3.6B
$2.6B
Q2 24
$3.7B
$2.7B
Net Profit
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$807.0M
Q4 25
$720.0M
$230.9M
Q3 25
$694.0M
$260.9M
Q2 25
$829.0M
$305.1M
Q1 25
$646.0M
Q4 24
$720.0M
$242.2M
Q3 24
$894.0M
$252.6M
Q2 24
$963.0M
$313.1M
Gross Margin
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
Q4 25
40.4%
Q3 25
39.2%
Q2 25
39.1%
Q1 25
Q4 24
39.7%
Q3 24
38.3%
Q2 24
39.2%
Operating Margin
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
29.9%
Q4 25
31.6%
10.8%
Q3 25
30.3%
12.4%
Q2 25
35.9%
14.1%
Q1 25
30.4%
Q4 24
30.8%
12.6%
Q3 24
37.4%
12.9%
Q2 24
39.1%
14.7%
Net Margin
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
23.2%
Q4 25
20.5%
8.1%
Q3 25
19.3%
9.4%
Q2 25
23.2%
10.7%
Q1 25
18.9%
Q4 24
20.3%
9.6%
Q3 24
24.7%
9.9%
Q2 24
26.0%
11.5%
EPS (diluted)
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.39
$5.14
Q3 25
$0.37
$5.78
Q2 25
$0.44
$6.70
Q1 25
$0.34
Q4 24
$0.38
$5.14
Q3 24
$0.46
$5.30
Q2 24
$0.49
$6.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.1B
$204.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$18.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$13.6B
$2.6B
Total Assets
$44.2B
$7.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.39×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$1.1B
Q4 25
$5.0M
$204.9M
Q3 25
$6.0M
$242.7M
Q2 25
$6.0M
$454.6M
Q1 25
$8.0M
Q4 24
$72.0M
$177.8M
Q3 24
$12.0M
$414.0M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$524.6M
Total Debt
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$18.9B
Q4 25
$18.2B
Q3 25
$18.6B
Q2 25
$18.6B
Q1 25
$18.5B
Q4 24
$17.9B
Q3 24
$18.5B
Q2 24
$18.0B
Stockholders' Equity
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$13.6B
Q4 25
$13.2B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$12.8B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$12.4B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$12.2B
Q4 24
$12.5B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$12.9B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$12.6B
$2.3B
Total Assets
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$44.2B
Q4 25
$43.7B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$43.3B
$6.6B
Q2 25
$42.9B
$6.0B
Q1 25
$43.2B
Q4 24
$42.8B
$6.0B
Q3 24
$43.1B
$5.7B
Q2 24
$42.4B
$5.6B
Debt / Equity
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
1.39×
Q4 25
1.38×
Q3 25
1.45×
Q2 25
1.50×
Q1 25
1.52×
Q4 24
1.43×
Q3 24
1.43×
Q2 24
1.42×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.3B
$5.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$793.0M
$-81.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
22.8%
-2.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.58×
0.02×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$2.0B
$-92.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$1.3B
Q4 25
$1.4B
$5.6M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$96.5M
Q2 25
$635.0M
$220.0M
Q1 25
$1.3B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$-56.8M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$199.5M
Q2 24
$1.1B
$159.3M
Free Cash Flow
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$793.0M
Q4 25
$709.0M
$-81.6M
Q3 25
$607.0M
$19.6M
Q2 25
$-141.0M
$141.0M
Q1 25
$536.0M
Q4 24
$550.0M
$-171.1M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$104.3M
Q2 24
$547.0M
$68.3M
FCF Margin
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
22.8%
Q4 25
20.2%
-2.9%
Q3 25
16.9%
0.7%
Q2 25
-3.9%
4.9%
Q1 25
15.7%
Q4 24
15.5%
-6.8%
Q3 24
29.3%
4.1%
Q2 24
14.8%
2.5%
Capex Intensity
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
Q4 25
19.3%
3.1%
Q3 25
20.4%
2.8%
Q2 25
21.7%
2.8%
Q1 25
21.0%
Q4 24
23.7%
4.5%
Q3 24
17.3%
3.7%
Q2 24
14.6%
3.3%
Cash Conversion
CSX
CSX
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
1.58×
Q4 25
1.93×
0.02×
Q3 25
1.93×
0.37×
Q2 25
0.77×
0.72×
Q1 25
1.94×
Q4 24
1.93×
-0.23×
Q3 24
1.89×
0.79×
Q2 24
1.13×
0.51×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

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