VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Norfolk Southern Corporation vs Stryker Corporation

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

Stryker Corporation

SYK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$133.2B
Gross margin (TTM)62.6%
Operating margin (TTM)21.9%
Net margin (TTM)12.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
71/ 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 Stryker Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SYK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Stryker Corporation leads (71 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise); Stryker Corporation has 2 segments (59.8% in MedSurg and Neurotechnology).
  • Moat breadth: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Stryker Corporation has 5 across 3.

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%

Stryker Corporation

MedSurg and Neurotechnology

Market

Hospital medical devices: surgical equipment and navigation, endoscopy and visualization, patient handling and emergency care, neurosurgical and neurovascular devices

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers; clinicians

Role

Medical device OEM + distributor/service provider

Revenue share

59.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Norfolk Southern Corporation
Stryker Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
SYK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$65B
$133.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
62.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
21.9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
12.1%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Railroads
Medical - Devices
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise
MedSurg and Neurotechnology
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Stryker Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkBrand TrustCompliance AdvantageIP Choke PointTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

Stryker Corporation segments

Full profile >

MedSurg and Neurotechnology

Oligopoly

59.8%

Orthopaedics

Oligopoly

40.2%

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.