undamentalytics Newsletter

Norfolk Southern vs Union Pacific

Union Pacific is the larger business, with $24.51bn of revenue in fiscal 2025 against $12.18bn for Norfolk Southern (2.0 times as much). Union Pacific grew faster (1.1% against 0.5%). Union Pacific kept more of each dollar of sales as profit: a net margin of 29.1% against 23.6%. Norfolk Southern carries less debt relative to equity (109.9% against 181.4%).

Latest fiscal yearNorfolk SouthernNSC, 2025Union PacificUNP, 2025
Revenue $12.18bn $24.51bn
Revenue growth 0.5% 1.1%
Net income $2.87bn $7.14bn
Operating margin 35.8% 40.2%
Net margin 23.6% 29.1%
Return on equity 19.2% 40.4%
Free cash flow $2.16bn $5.50bn
Cash $1.53bn $1.27bn
Total debt $17.09bn $33.49bn
Debt to equity 109.9% 181.4%
Dividend per share $5.40 $5.44
Dividend yield 1.6% 1.8%
Share buybacks $534m $2.68bn
Employees 19,400 29,287
Market value $76.93bn $181.36bn
Price vs our value range Above our value range Above our value range
Moat score 83 (Strong) 95 (Strong)
Insider trades, 12 months 2 buys, 1 sales 0 buys, 5 sales

Each figure is from the company's latest annual report and links to the page it comes from. Fiscal years can end on different dates. Market value and the value verdict use the delayed price shown on the stock pages. Not a recommendation.

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Figures from each company's latest annual report filed with the SEC (10-K or 20-F), as reported, with the fiscal year shown. Not investment advice. How we read filings: methodology.