VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

HLT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$67.4B
Gross margin (TTM)27.8%
Operating margin (TTM)22%
Net margin (TTM)14.2%
SectorConsumer
IndustryTravel Lodging
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
72/ 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 Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HLT 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: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (72.7% in Management and Franchise); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

Management and Franchise

Market

Hotel management, franchising and brand licensing

Geography

Global

Customer

Third-party hotel owners / franchisees and strategic partners

Role

Franchisor / manager / IP licensor

Revenue share

72.7%

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

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
HLT - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$67.4B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
27.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
22%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
14.2%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Travel Lodging
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management and Franchise
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
13%-15% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
1,350
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
72 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkLong Term ContractsBrand TrustEcosystem Complements

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Management and Franchise

Oligopoly

72.7%

Ownership

Competitive

27.3%

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.