VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Experian plc vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Experian plc

EXPN · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$30.4B
Gross margin (TTM)24.8%
Operating margin (TTM)24.8%
Net margin (TTM)16.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConsulting Services
CountryJE
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
76/ 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 Experian plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EXPN 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: Experian plc leads (76 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Experian plc has 4 segments (67.2% in North America); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Experian plc has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Experian plc

North America

Market

Consumer and business credit reporting, identity/fraud data and decision analytics, plus consumer credit/insurance marketplaces

Geography

North America

Customer

Financial institutions, insurers, auto lenders, healthcare providers, advertisers, consumers

Role

Data/analytics provider and consumer marketplace operator

Revenue share

67.2%

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

Experian plc
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
EXPN - London Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$30.4B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
24.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
24.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
16.5%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Consulting Services
Railroads
HQ country
JE
US
Primary segment
North America
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Experian plc strengths

Data Network EffectsRegulated Standards PipeTwo Sided NetworkPreferential Input AccessCompliance AdvantageSuite Bundling

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Experian plc segments

Full profile >

North America

Oligopoly

67.2%

Latin America

Quasi-Monopoly

14.2%

UK and Ireland

Oligopoly

11.6%

EMEA and Asia Pacific

Competitive

7%

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.