Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) vs 3M Company (MMM)
CNI leads on 12 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Canadian National Railway Company and 3M Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 9, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — CNI vs MMM
growth of $100 · last 30yCNI +3721.8%MMM +336.0%CNI compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CNI MMM
CNI vs MMM: by the numbers
- •MMM is the larger company ($81.02B vs $75.42B market cap).
- •CNI trades at the lower earnings multiple (22.27 vs 29.81 P/E).
- •CNI converts more revenue to profit (27.22% vs 11.14% net margin).
- •CNI grew revenue faster over the past five years (3.41% vs -5.36% CAGR).
- •CNI pays the higher dividend yield (2.14% vs 2.02%).
Which is better, CNI or MMM?
Metric tally: CNI 12 · MMM 3It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueCNI(lower P/E)
GrowthCNI(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCNI(higher dividend yield)
QualityMMM(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CNI | MMM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 22.27● | 29.81 |
| Forward P/E | 15.56● | 17.76 |
| P/S ratio | 5.99 | 3.29● |
| P/B ratio | 4.86● | 25.26 |
| PEG ratio | 2.29 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.82 | 14.60 |
| FCF yield | 3.45%● | 2.50% |
Profitability
| Metric | CNI | MMM |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 44.21%● | 39.51% |
| Operating margin | 37.76%● | 19.60% |
| Net margin | 27.22%● | 11.14% |
| ROE | 22.07% | 85.41%● |
| ROIC | 8.90% | 11.53%● |
Dividends
| Metric | CNI | MMM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.14%● | 2.02% |
| Payout ratio | 47.56% | 51.66% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CNI | MMM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 3.41%● | -5.36% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 6.99%● | -8.53% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 0.73%● | -21.95% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 5.29%● | 2.22% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CNI or MMM?
- It depends on your goal. value: CNI (lower P/E); growth: CNI (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CNI (higher dividend yield); quality: MMM (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CNI leads 12 to 3.
- Is CNI or MMM cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CNI is cheaper: CNI trades at a 22.27 P/E and MMM at 29.81.
- Which has grown faster, CNI or MMM?
- Over the past five years, CNI grew revenue faster — CNI at a 3.41% CAGR versus MMM at -5.36%.
- Does CNI or MMM pay a bigger dividend?
- CNI yields 2.14% and MMM yields 2.02% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CNI or MMM more profitable?
- CNI runs the higher net margin — CNI at 27.22% versus MMM at 11.14%.
- Which has been the better investment, CNI or MMM?
- Over the past 10-year, CNI delivered the higher annualized total return — CNI at 9.52% versus MMM at 3.77%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Canadian National Railway P/E ratio3M P/E ratioCanadian National Railway dividend yield3M dividend yieldCanadian National Railway ROE3M ROECanadian National Railway operating margin3M operating marginCanadian National Railway revenue growth3M revenue growthCanadian National Railway free cash flow3M free cash flow
Canadian National Railway & 3M appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 9, 2026.