VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Norfolk Southern Corporation vs West Pharmaceutical Services, 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

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

WST · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$19.6B
Gross margin (TTM)35.6%
Operating margin (TTM)20.9%
Net margin (TTM)16.3%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
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 West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. leads (85 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise); West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has 2 segments (80.7% in Proprietary Products).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. 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%

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

Proprietary Products

Market

Injectable primary packaging components and containment/delivery systems (elastomeric stoppers, seals, plungers, syringe/cartridge components; related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Biologic, generic, and pharmaceutical drug manufacturers

Role

Primary packaging and delivery component supplier

Revenue share

80.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Norfolk Southern Corporation
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
WST - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$65B
$19.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
35.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
20.9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
16.3%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Railroads
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise
Proprietary Products
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-75% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustCapex Knowhow ScaleOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Proprietary Products

Quasi-Monopoly

80.7%

Contract-Manufactured Products

Competitive

19.3%

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.