VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Nasdaq, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Nasdaq, Inc.

NDAQ · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$55.3B
Gross margin (TTM)41.1%
Operating margin (TTM)27.2%
Net margin (TTM)19.9%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Nasdaq, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NDAQ 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: Nasdaq, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Nasdaq, Inc. has 3 segments (42.4% in Capital Access Platforms); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: Nasdaq, Inc. has 9 moat types across 5 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Nasdaq, Inc.

Capital Access Platforms

Market

Issuer and investor solutions: listings, index licensing, market data, and investment analytics/workflow platforms

Geography

Global (with major exposure to U.S. and Nordic/Baltic markets)

Customer

Public/private companies (issuers), asset managers, institutional investors, data subscribers

Role

Listing venue + index administrator/licensor + data/analytics provider

Revenue share

42.4%

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

Nasdaq, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
NDAQ - NASDAQ
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$55.3B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
41.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
27.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.9%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Capital Access Platforms
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
80%-84% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Supply, Demand, Financial
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

Nasdaq, Inc. strengths

Concession LicenseTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustDe Facto StandardBenchmark Pricing PowerData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageLong Term Contracts

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Permits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Nasdaq, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Market Services

Competitive

21.9%

Capital Access Platforms

Oligopoly

42.4%

Financial Technology

Competitive

35.6%

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.