VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Baidu, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Baidu, Inc.

9888 · The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

Market cap (USD)$390.1B
Gross margin (TTM)44.7%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.6%
Net margin (TTM)6.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInternet Content & Information
CountryCN
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
71/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Baidu, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 9888 analysis

Norfolk Southern Corporation

NSC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
70/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Norfolk Southern Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NSC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Baidu, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Baidu, Inc. has 4 segments (54.5% in Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Baidu, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Baidu, Inc.

Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)

Market

Chinese-language search and feed-based online marketing services

Geography

Mainland China

Customer

Advertisers (SMEs and larger enterprises) buying performance-based and feed ads

Role

Search + feed platform operator / ad marketplace

Revenue share

54.5%

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Merchandise

Market

Eastern U.S. freight rail transportation for industrial & consumer goods

Geography

United States (Southeast/East/Midwest; NS network + interchanges)

Customer

Manufacturers, producers, and distributors

Role

Rail carrier

Revenue share

62%

Side-by-side metrics

Baidu, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
9888 - The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$390.1B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
6.9%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Internet Content & Information
Railroads
HQ country
CN
US
Primary segment
Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)
Merchandise
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
62%-66% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Baidu, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultBrand TrustEcosystem ComplementsCapex Knowhow ScaleData Workflow LockinLearning Curve YieldRegulated Standards PipeContent Rights CurrencyData Network Effects

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Baidu, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)

Quasi-Monopoly

54.5%

AI Cloud (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS + GenAI APIs)

Oligopoly

16.3%

Intelligent Driving & Other Growth Initiatives

Oligopoly

7.4%

iQIYI (Online Entertainment)

Oligopoly

21.8%

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.