FER vs. NSC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FER and NSC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FER | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ferrovial SE | Norfolk Southern Corporation |
| Country | Netherlands | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Construction & Engineering | Ground Transportation |
| Market Capitalization | 42.88 billion USD | 67.35 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 13, 2012 | June 2, 1982 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FER 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | FER | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.94% | 0.18% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 12.12% | 14.34% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 21.76% | 26.73% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 35.15% | 21.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.79% | -0.09% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 23.50% | 27.89% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.86M | 1.75M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.64M | 2.00M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 14.19% | 17.98% |
| Beta | 0.95 | 1.34 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
FER
56.21%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 26.79%
- Q3
- 16.47%
- Median
- 10.66%
- Q1
- 8.46%
- Min
- -1.86%
FER’s Return on Equity of 56.21% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
NSC
23.35%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 23.35%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 9.05%
- Q1
- 6.86%
- Min
- 1.73%
In the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, NSC’s Return on Equity of 23.35% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
FER
35.99%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 11.67%
- Q3
- 6.13%
- Median
- 3.82%
- Q1
- 2.31%
- Min
- -2.77%
FER’s Net Profit Margin of 35.99% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
NSC
27.51%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.19%
- Q3
- 17.08%
- Median
- 7.19%
- Q1
- 4.45%
- Min
- -5.54%
A Net Profit Margin of 27.51% places NSC in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
FER
34.91%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 17.78%
- Q3
- 9.61%
- Median
- 6.19%
- Q1
- 3.73%
- Min
- -1.78%
FER’s Operating Profit Margin of 34.91% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
NSC
41.45%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.90%
- Q3
- 23.80%
- Median
- 10.93%
- Q1
- 7.06%
- Min
- -12.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 41.45% places NSC in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation 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 | FER | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 56.21% | 23.35% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 12.11% | 7.66% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 35.99% | 27.51% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 34.91% | 41.45% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 87.83% | 51.67% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
FER
0.94
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.50
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- 0.65
FER’s Current Ratio of 0.94 falls into the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
NSC
0.79
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 1.31
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.74
- Min
- 0.35
NSC’s Current Ratio of 0.79 aligns with the median group of the Ground Transportation industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
FER
1.95
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.37
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.31
- Min
- 0.00
FER’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Construction & Engineering industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.95. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
NSC
1.17
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.51
- Q3
- 1.48
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.48
- Min
- 0.00
NSC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.17 is typical for the Ground Transportation 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 (TTM)
FER
9.20
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 36.37
- Q3
- 17.88
- Median
- 8.20
- Q1
- 4.98
- Min
- -6.49
FER’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.20 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
NSC
5.21
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 59.80
- Q3
- 25.78
- Median
- 8.23
- Q1
- 2.52
- Min
- -24.57
NSC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.21 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FER | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.94 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.86 | 0.71 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.95 | 1.17 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.20 | 5.21 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
FER
0.34%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 5.80%
- Q3
- 3.33%
- Median
- 2.22%
- Q1
- 0.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
FER’s Dividend Yield of 0.34% is consistent with its peers in the Construction & Engineering industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
NSC
1.81%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.29%
- Q3
- 2.57%
- Median
- 1.59%
- Q1
- 0.71%
- Min
- 0.00%
NSC’s Dividend Yield of 1.81% is consistent with its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
FER
3.63%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 139.17%
- Q3
- 74.39%
- Median
- 51.48%
- Q1
- 15.67%
- Min
- 0.00%
FER’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 3.63% is in the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
NSC
36.42%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 149.12%
- Q3
- 75.08%
- Median
- 41.35%
- Q1
- 16.42%
- Min
- 0.00%
NSC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.42% is within the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | FER | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.34% | 1.81% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 3.63% | 36.42% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
FER
10.70
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 41.00
- Q3
- 26.91
- Median
- 16.02
- Q1
- 13.49
- Min
- 1.65
In the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, FER’s P/E Ratio of 10.70 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
NSC
20.13
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 39.04
- Q3
- 24.45
- Median
- 17.51
- Q1
- 12.92
- Min
- 5.87
NSC’s P/E Ratio of 20.13 is within the middle range for the Ground Transportation industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
FER
3.85
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.93
- Q3
- 1.65
- Median
- 0.71
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.11
With a P/S Ratio of 3.85, FER trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Construction & Engineering industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
NSC
5.54
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.22
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.24
With a P/S Ratio of 5.54, NSC trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Ground Transportation industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
FER
5.63
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 7.96
- Q3
- 4.06
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.24
FER’s P/B Ratio of 5.63 is in the upper tier for the Construction & Engineering industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
NSC
3.90
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.27
- Q3
- 3.03
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.67
NSC’s P/B Ratio of 3.90 is in the upper tier for the Ground Transportation industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | FER | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 10.70 | 20.13 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.85 | 5.54 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.63 | 3.90 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 31.40 | 33.33 |