VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Norfolk Southern Corporation vs Synopsys, Inc.

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

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

Synopsys, Inc.

SNPS · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$90.8B
Gross margin (TTM)73.1%
Operating margin (TTM)13%
Net margin (TTM)18.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Infrastructure
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
85/ 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 Synopsys, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SNPS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Synopsys, Inc. leads (85 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise); Synopsys, Inc. has 2 segments (75.2% in Design Automation).
  • Moat breadth: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Synopsys, Inc. has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

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%

Synopsys, Inc.

Design Automation

Market

Electronic design automation (EDA) software and silicon-to-systems simulation & analysis tools

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor and systems companies (chip/system designers)

Role

Software + hardware tooling provider / platform

Revenue share

75.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Norfolk Southern Corporation
Synopsys, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
SNPS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$65B
$90.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
73.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
13%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
18.9%
Sector
Industrials
Technology
Industry
Railroads
Software - Infrastructure
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise
Design Automation
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
30%-32% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,140
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit Cost

Synopsys, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationInstalled Base Consumables

Segment mix

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

Synopsys, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Design Automation

Oligopoly

75.2%

Design IP

Oligopoly

24.8%

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.