VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Norfolk Southern Corporation vs United Parcel Service, 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

United Parcel Service, Inc.

UPS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$85.7B
Gross margin (TTM)18.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.3%
Net margin (TTM)6.2%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIntegrated Freight & Logistics
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
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 United Parcel Service, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UPS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: United Parcel Service, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise); United Parcel Service, Inc. has 3 segments (66.3% in U.S. Domestic Package).
  • Moat breadth: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; United Parcel Service, Inc. has 8 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%

United Parcel Service, Inc.

U.S. Domestic Package

Market

U.S. small parcel and time-definite package delivery

Geography

United States

Customer

B2B and B2C shippers (including e-commerce)

Role

Integrated parcel carrier (pickup, sort, linehaul, last-mile)

Revenue share

66.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Norfolk Southern Corporation
United Parcel Service, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
UPS - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$65B
$85.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
18.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
9.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
6.2%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Railroads
Integrated Freight & Logistics
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise
U.S. Domestic Package
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
34.3% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,639
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit Cost

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Permits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

United Parcel Service, Inc. strengths

Benchmark Pricing PowerData Workflow LockinBrand TrustService Field NetworkOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Segment mix

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

United Parcel Service, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. Domestic Package

Oligopoly

66.3%

International Package

Oligopoly

19.7%

Supply Chain Solutions

Competitive

14%

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.