VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

CoStar Group, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

CoStar Group, Inc.

CSGP · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$27.9B
Gross margin (TTM)79.3%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.7%
Net margin (TTM)0.7%
SectorReal Estate
IndustryReal Estate - Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
75/ 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 CoStar Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSGP 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: CoStar Group, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CoStar Group, Inc. has 6 segments (39% in Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: CoStar Group, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

CoStar Group, Inc.

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Market

Online multifamily rental marketplaces and advertising

Geography

United States

Customer

Two-sided (renters + property managers/owners)

Role

Marketplace (subscription advertising + workflow tools)

Revenue share

39%

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

CoStar Group, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CSGP - NASDAQ
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$27.9B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
79.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
0.7%
n/a
Sector
Real Estate
Industrials
Industry
Real Estate - Services
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

CoStar Group, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleData Network EffectsData Workflow LockinDe Facto StandardIP Choke PointTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustSuite BundlingEcosystem Complements

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

CoStar Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

CoStar (commercial real estate info & analytics)

Oligopoly

37.3%

Information Services (lease management software + international info)

Competitive

5%

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Oligopoly

39%

LoopNet (commercial property marketing marketplace)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Residential (Homes.com + OnTheMarket)

Oligopoly

3.7%

Other Marketplaces (Ten-X, Land.com, BizBuySell, etc.)

Competitive

4.8%

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.

View the moat stocks list

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.