VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

HEICO Corporation vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

HEICO Corporation

HEI · NYSE

Market cap (USD)$45.6B
Gross margin (TTM)41.1%
Operating margin (TTM)22.9%
Net margin (TTM)15.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
77/ 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 HEICO Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HEI 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: HEICO Corporation leads (77 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: HEICO Corporation has 2 segments (69.5% in Flight Support Group (FSG)); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: HEICO Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

HEICO Corporation

Flight Support Group (FSG)

Market

Aerospace aftermarket replacement parts and MRO services (jet engine and aircraft components), including FAA-approved PMA parts

Geography

Global

Customer

Commercial airlines, cargo carriers, MROs, OEMs, and government/military customers

Role

Aftermarket parts manufacturer + MRO/repair provider + distributor

Revenue share

69.5%

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

HEICO Corporation
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
HEI - NYSE
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$45.6B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
41.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
22.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
15.4%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Flight Support Group (FSG)
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
77 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

HEICO Corporation strengths

Regulated Standards PipeLearning Curve YieldBrand TrustDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointGovernment Contracting Relationships

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

HEICO Corporation segments

Full profile >

Flight Support Group (FSG)

Oligopoly

69.5%

Electronic Technologies Group (ETG)

Oligopoly

30.5%

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.