VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Airbus SE vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Airbus SE

AIR · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$160.3B
Gross margin (TTM)15.5%
Operating margin (TTM)7.8%
Net margin (TTM)7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryNL
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
91/ 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 Airbus SE's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AIR 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: Airbus SE leads (91 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Airbus SE has 3 segments (71.7% in Commercial Aircraft); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Airbus SE has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Airbus SE

Commercial Aircraft

Market

Large commercial jet aircraft manufacturing (narrowbody and widebody)

Geography

Global

Customer

Airlines and aircraft lessors

Role

OEM / integrator

Revenue share

71.7%

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

Airbus SE
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AIR - Euronext Paris
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$160.3B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
15.5%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
7.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
7%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Railroads
HQ country
NL
US
Primary segment
Commercial Aircraft
Merchandise
Market structure
Duopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
68.8% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
5,704
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
91 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Airbus SE strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsLong Term ContractsService Field NetworkGovernment Contracting Relationships

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Airbus SE segments

Full profile >

Commercial Aircraft

Duopoly

71.7%

Helicopters

Oligopoly

11.2%

Defence and Space

Oligopoly

17.1%

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.