VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Accenture plc vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Accenture plc

ACN · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$164.4B
Gross margin (TTM)31.9%
Operating margin (TTM)14.8%
Net margin (TTM)10.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
66/ 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 Accenture plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ACN 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 66 / 100 for Accenture plc).
  • Segment focus: Accenture plc has 2 segments (50.4% in Consulting); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Accenture plc has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Accenture plc

Consulting

Market

Enterprise consulting (strategy, management, technology consulting and technology integration consulting)

Geography

Global

Customer

Enterprises and public sector organizations

Role

Advisor and systems integrator / implementation partner

Revenue share

50.4%

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

Accenture plc
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ACN - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$164.4B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
31.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
14.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
10.8%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Information Technology Services
Railroads
HQ country
IE
US
Primary segment
Consulting
Merchandise
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Network
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Accenture plc strengths

Brand TrustProcurement InertiaSuite BundlingService Field NetworkLong Term ContractsEcosystem Complements

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Accenture plc segments

Full profile >

Consulting

Competitive

50.4%

Managed Services

Oligopoly

49.6%

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.