VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Norfolk Southern Corporation vs Wolters Kluwer N.V.

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

Wolters Kluwer N.V.

WKL · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$20.6B
Gross margin (TTM)66.5%
Operating margin (TTM)24.8%
Net margin (TTM)18.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustrySpecialty Business Services
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 Wolters Kluwer N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WKL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Wolters Kluwer N.V. leads (73 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise); Wolters Kluwer N.V. has 5 segments (26.8% in Health).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Wolters Kluwer N.V. has 6 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%

Wolters Kluwer N.V.

Health

Market

Clinical decision support and clinical drug information solutions (point-of-care) for healthcare providers

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals/health systems, clinicians, payers, and academic institutions

Role

Software + expert content provider

Revenue share

26.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Norfolk Southern Corporation
Wolters Kluwer N.V.
Ticker / Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
WKL - Euronext Amsterdam
Market cap (USD)
$65B
$20.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
66.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
24.8%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
18.3%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Railroads
Specialty Business Services
HQ country
US
NL
Primary segment
Merchandise
Health
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
85%-90% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
70 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Demand, Legal
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

Wolters Kluwer N.V. strengths

Data Workflow LockinBrand TrustSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

Wolters Kluwer N.V. segments

Full profile >

Health

Oligopoly

26.8%

Tax & Accounting

Oligopoly

26.4%

Financial & Corporate Compliance

Oligopoly

20.8%

Legal & Regulatory

Oligopoly

16%

Corporate Performance & ESG

Competitive

10.1%

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.