AAL vs. NSC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AAL and NSC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
NSC’s market capitalization of 59.18 billion USD is significantly greater than AAL’s 7.71 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 1.38 for AAL and 1.31 for NSC, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AAL | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Airlines Group Inc. | Norfolk Southern Corporation |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Airlines, Airports & Air Services | Railroads |
| CEO | Robert D. Isom Jr. | Mark R. George |
| Price | 11.69 USD | 262.5 USD |
| Market Cap | 7.71 billion USD | 59.18 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.38 | 1.31 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | September 27, 2005 | June 2, 1982 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AAL and NSC by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AAL
-15.15%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 42.21%
- Q3
- 26.98%
- Median
- 13.01%
- Q1
- 0.37%
- Min
- -17.14%
AAL has a negative Return on Equity of -15.15%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
NSC
23.89%
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 40.80%
- Q3
- 24.36%
- Median
- 18.32%
- Q1
- 11.84%
- Min
- 8.37%
NSC’s Return on Equity of 23.89% is on par with the norm for the Railroads industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
AAL
4.12%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 17.34%
- Q3
- 13.78%
- Median
- 4.53%
- Q1
- 1.05%
- Min
- -13.54%
AAL’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.12% is in line with the norm for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
NSC
9.44%
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 11.47%
- Q3
- 9.66%
- Median
- 9.08%
- Q1
- 7.36%
- Min
- 4.32%
NSC’s Return on Invested Capital of 9.44% is in line with the norm for the Railroads industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
AAL
1.26%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 24.88%
- Q3
- 9.50%
- Median
- 3.91%
- Q1
- -1.02%
- Min
- -10.56%
AAL’s Net Profit Margin of 1.26% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
NSC
27.40%
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 27.77%
- Q3
- 26.50%
- Median
- 24.33%
- Q1
- 9.34%
- Min
- 4.79%
A Net Profit Margin of 27.40% places NSC in the upper quartile for the Railroads industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
AAL
4.31%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 22.38%
- Q3
- 14.22%
- Median
- 9.66%
- Q1
- -0.09%
- Min
- -12.58%
AAL’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.31% is around the midpoint for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
NSC
41.08%
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 41.08%
- Q3
- 37.86%
- Median
- 35.40%
- Q1
- 15.99%
- Min
- 10.85%
An Operating Profit Margin of 41.08% places NSC in the upper quartile for the Railroads industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -15.15% | 23.89% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.09% | 7.58% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 4.12% | 9.44% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.26% | 27.40% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.31% | 41.08% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 23.28% | 39.07% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AAL
0.52
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 1.77
- Q3
- 1.68
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.32
AAL’s Current Ratio of 0.52 falls into the lower quartile for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
NSC
0.78
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 1.97
- Q3
- 1.41
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- 0.62
NSC’s Current Ratio of 0.78 aligns with the median group of the Railroads industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AAL
-8.12
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 3.85
- Q3
- 2.92
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.43
- Min
- 0.04
AAL has a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of -8.12, which indicates negative shareholder equity where liabilities exceed assets. This is a critical sign of financial distress.
NSC
1.19
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 2.11
- Q3
- 1.44
- Median
- 1.19
- Q1
- 0.72
- Min
- 0.39
NSC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.19 is typical for the Railroads industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AAL
1.25
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 8.60
- Q3
- 6.00
- Median
- 4.19
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- -1.40
AAL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.25 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
NSC
6.18
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 8.45
- Q3
- 7.16
- Median
- 6.40
- Q1
- 5.53
- Min
- 4.30
NSC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.18 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Railroads industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.52 | 0.78 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.42 | 0.70 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -8.12 | 1.19 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.58 | 0.39 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 8.51 | 2.51 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.25 | 6.18 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AAL and NSC. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AAL
0.00%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 162.17%
- Q3
- 2.10%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AAL currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
NSC
2.06%
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 4.30%
- Q3
- 2.64%
- Median
- 2.21%
- Q1
- 1.33%
- Min
- 0.43%
NSC’s Dividend Yield of 2.06% is consistent with its peers in the Railroads industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AAL
0.00%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 106.87%
- Q3
- 15.62%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AAL has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
NSC
36.82%
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 69.30%
- Q3
- 47.83%
- Median
- 32.93%
- Q1
- 18.85%
- Min
- 13.29%
NSC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.82% is within the typical range for the Railroads industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 2.06% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 36.82% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AAL
11.24
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 24.07
- Q3
- 18.40
- Median
- 12.44
- Q1
- 11.24
- Min
- 7.21
AAL’s P/E Ratio of 11.24 is within the middle range for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
NSC
17.88
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 26.01
- Q3
- 22.00
- Median
- 19.48
- Q1
- 17.09
- Min
- 16.09
NSC’s P/E Ratio of 17.88 is within the middle range for the Railroads industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AAL
0.21
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 1.38
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.61
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.03
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry.
NSC
1.58
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 1.85
- Q3
- 1.84
- Median
- 1.79
- Q1
- 1.59
- Min
- 1.52
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Railroads industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AAL
0.14
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 1.84
- Q3
- 1.69
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.14
In the lower quartile for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, AAL’s P/S Ratio of 0.14 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
NSC
4.89
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 6.74
- Q3
- 5.30
- Median
- 4.55
- Q1
- 2.73
- Min
- 0.42
NSC’s P/S Ratio of 4.89 aligns with the market consensus for the Railroads industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AAL
-1.71
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 12.86
- Q3
- 8.15
- Median
- 2.07
- Q1
- 1.50
- Min
- 0.62
AAL has a negative P/B Ratio of -1.71, indicating its liabilities exceed its assets and result in negative shareholder equity. This is a critical warning sign of financial distress.
NSC
4.09
Railroads Industry
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 4.36
- Median
- 3.70
- Q1
- 1.98
- Min
- 1.00
NSC’s P/B Ratio of 4.09 is within the conventional range for the Railroads industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 11.24 | 17.88 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 1.58 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 0.14 | 4.89 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -1.71 | 4.09 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 2.19 | 31.33 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 10.34 | 11.65 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 0.80 | 6.22 |