ACHR vs. NSC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on July 7, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ACHR 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 ACHR’s 6.45 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.

ACHR’s beta of 3.13 points to significantly higher volatility compared to NSC (beta: 1.31), suggesting ACHR has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.

Symbol	ACHR	NSC
Company Name	Archer Aviation Inc.	Norfolk Southern Corporation
Country	US	US
Sector	Industrials	Industrials
Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Railroads
CEO	Adam D. Goldstein	Mark R. George
Price	10.17 USD	262.5 USD
Market Cap	6.45 billion USD	59.18 billion USD
Beta	3.13	1.31
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
IPO Date	December 18, 2020	June 2, 1982
ADR	No	No

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ACHR 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.

ACHR vs. NSC: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Profitability

Return on Equity

ACHR

-80.09%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 42.57%
Q3: 16.67%
Median: 8.39%
Q1: -0.77%
Min: -23.36%

ACHR has a negative Return on Equity of -80.09%. 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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their ROE against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Return on Invested Capital

ACHR

-44.42%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 23.42%
Q3: 8.86%
Median: 5.47%
Q1: -5.60%
Min: -22.46%

ACHR has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -44.42%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their ROIC against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin

ACHR

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 22.67%
Q3: 8.04%
Median: 4.95%
Q1: -5.07%
Min: -16.58%

Net Profit Margin data for ACHR is currently unavailable.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin

ACHR

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 22.01%
Q3: 11.49%
Median: 8.96%
Q1: 3.77%
Min: -4.96%

Operating Profit Margin data for ACHR is currently unavailable.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Operating Margin against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ACHR	NSC
Return on Equity (TTM)	-80.09%	23.89%
Return on Assets (TTM)	-42.29%	7.58%
Return on Invested Capital (TTM)	-44.42%	9.44%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	--	27.40%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	--	41.08%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	39.07%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio

ACHR

15.80

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 5.13
Q3: 3.36
Median: 2.16
Q1: 1.20
Min: 0.41

ACHR’s Current Ratio of 15.80 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Current Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

ACHR

0.08

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.20
Q3: 0.73
Median: 0.51
Q1: 0.09
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, ACHR’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.08 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their D/E Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio

ACHR

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 12.62
Q3: 7.38
Median: 2.95
Q1: 1.68
Min: -6.68

Interest Coverage Ratio data for ACHR is currently unavailable.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Interest Coverage against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ACHR	NSC
Current Ratio (TTM)	15.80	0.78
Quick Ratio (TTM)	15.80	0.70
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)	0.08	1.19
Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM)	0.06	0.39
Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)	1.89	2.51
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	6.18

Growth

The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ACHR and NSC. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.

Revenue Growth

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Revenue Growth.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth.

Free Cash Flow Growth

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Free Cash Flow Growth.

Dividend

Dividend Yield

ACHR

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 6.00%
Q3: 0.66%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ACHR 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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Dividend Yield against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio

ACHR

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 172.02%
Q3: 32.47%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ACHR 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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Payout Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ACHR	NSC
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	2.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	36.82%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio

ACHR

-7.87

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 75.34
Q3: 54.40
Median: 38.63
Q1: 26.10
Min: 16.44

ACHR has a negative P/E Ratio of -7.87. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their P/E Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Forward P/E to Growth Ratio

ACHR

0.21

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 10.68
Q3: 5.36
Median: 2.31
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.01

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, ACHR’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.21 is a positive indicator. It suggests that the stock may be attractively valued relative to its expected earnings growth.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their Forward PEG Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio

ACHR

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 19.34
Q3: 9.54
Median: 2.71
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.35

P/S Ratio data for ACHR is currently unavailable.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their P/S Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio

ACHR

4.00

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.08
Q3: 8.12
Median: 4.12
Q1: 2.69
Min: 0.69

ACHR’s P/B Ratio of 4.00 is within the conventional range for the Aerospace & Defense 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.

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.

ACHR vs. NSC: A comparison of their P/B Ratio against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Railroads industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ACHR	NSC
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)	-7.87	17.88
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)	0.21	1.58
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)	--	4.89
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)	4.00	4.09
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)	-14.28	31.33
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)	-10.89	11.65
EV-to-Sales (TTM)	--	6.22