VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Norfolk Southern Corporation vs UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

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

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UNH · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$308.1B
Gross margin (TTM)19.7%
Operating margin (TTM)6.1%
Net margin (TTM)4%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Healthcare Plans
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
64/ 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 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UNH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Norfolk Southern Corporation leads (70 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated).
  • Segment focus: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise); UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 4 segments (74.9% in UnitedHealthcare).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 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%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UnitedHealthcare

Market

U.S. health benefits / managed care (commercial, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care)

Geography

United States (primarily)

Customer

Employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs

Role

Health insurer / managed care organization

Revenue share

74.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Norfolk Southern Corporation
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
UNH - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$65B
$308.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
19.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
6.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
4%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Railroads
Medical - Healthcare Plans
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise
UnitedHealthcare
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
70 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated strengths

Suite BundlingOperational ExcellenceData Workflow LockinTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated segments

Full profile >

UnitedHealthcare

Oligopoly

74.9%

Optum Health

Competitive

9.9%

Optum Insight

Competitive

1.7%

Optum Rx

Oligopoly

13.5%

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.