VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Agilent Technologies, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

A · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.8B
Gross margin (TTM)52.4%
Operating margin (TTM)21.3%
Net margin (TTM)18.8%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Diagnostics & Research
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
65/ 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 Agilent Technologies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View A 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: Norfolk Southern Corporation leads (70 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for Agilent Technologies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Agilent Technologies, Inc. has 3 segments (41.9% in Agilent CrossLab); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Agilent Technologies, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Agilent CrossLab

Market

Laboratory services, compliance/maintenance, consumables and lab informatics across the lab workflow

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (installed base labs across pharma, diagnostics, academia and applied markets)

Role

Aftermarket services + consumables + informatics

Revenue share

41.9%

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

Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
A - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$38.8B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
21.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
18.8%
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Agilent CrossLab
Merchandise
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
65 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Agilent Technologies, Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesBrand TrustService Field NetworkData Workflow Lockin

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Agilent Technologies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Life Sciences and Diagnostics Markets

Oligopoly

39.2%

Agilent CrossLab

Competitive

41.9%

Applied Markets

Oligopoly

18.9%

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.