VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Brown & Brown, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Brown & Brown, Inc.

BRO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$27.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Brokers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
61/ 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 Brown & Brown, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BRO analysis

Norfolk Southern Corporation

NSC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$64.4B
Gross margin (TTM)34.1%
Operating margin (TTM)34.1%
Net margin (TTM)24.2%
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 61 / 100 for Brown & Brown, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Brown & Brown, Inc. has 2 segments (59% in Retail); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Brown & Brown, Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Retail

Market

Retail insurance brokerage and agency services (commercial P&C, employee benefits, personal lines) plus dealer F&I risk-mitigating products

Geography

Primarily United States; also selected international operations

Customer

Commercial (SMB to mid-market), public/quasi-public entities, professional and individual insured customers; auto/RV dealers for F&I

Role

Insurance intermediary (agent/broker) and risk solutions advisor

Revenue share

59%

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

Brown & Brown, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
BRO - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$27.5B
$64.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
34.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
34.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
24.2%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Insurance - Brokers
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Retail
Merchandise
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
61 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Brown & Brown, Inc. strengths

Procurement InertiaBrand TrustContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input Access

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Brown & Brown, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Retail

Competitive

59%

Specialty Distribution

Oligopoly

41%

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.