VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Corteva, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Corteva, Inc.

CTVA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$45.6B
Gross margin (TTM)46.1%
Operating margin (TTM)15.3%
Net margin (TTM)9.2%
SectorMaterials
IndustryAgricultural Inputs
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
60/ 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 Corteva, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CTVA 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 60 / 100 for Corteva, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Corteva, Inc. has 2 segments (56.5% in Seed); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: Corteva, Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Corteva, Inc.

Seed

Market

Commercial agricultural seeds and traits (corn, soybean, and other crops)

Geography

Global

Customer

Farmers via agricultural retailers/dealers and distributors

Role

Seed genetics/trait developer + branded seed seller (OEM)

Revenue share

56.5%

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

Corteva, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CTVA - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$45.6B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
46.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
15.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
9.2%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Industrials
Industry
Agricultural Inputs
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Seed
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Corteva, Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointLearning Curve YieldSuite BundlingOperational Excellence

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Corteva, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Seed

Oligopoly

56.5%

Crop Protection

Oligopoly

43.5%

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.