JBLU vs. NSC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at JBLU and NSC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | JBLU | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | JetBlue Airways Corporation | Norfolk Southern Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Passenger Airlines | Ground Transportation |
| Market Capitalization | 1.47 billion USD | 63.68 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 12, 2002 | June 2, 1982 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of JBLU 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 | JBLU | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -4.99% | -1.02% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -19.73% | 1.15% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -15.01% | 18.20% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -39.63% | 5.47% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.24% | 0.21% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -46.69% | 21.00% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 18.84M | 1.25M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 19.82M | 1.95M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 46.96% | 14.36% |
| Beta | 1.77 | 1.33 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
JBLU
-19.21%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 51.60%
- Q3
- 26.80%
- Median
- 15.05%
- Q1
- 3.96%
- Min
- -19.21%
JBLU has a negative Return on Equity of -19.21%. 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
20.17%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 23.31%
- Q3
- 13.97%
- Median
- 9.07%
- Q1
- 6.97%
- Min
- 1.90%
In the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, NSC’s Return on Equity of 20.17% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
JBLU
-5.16%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 18.35%
- Q3
- 8.99%
- Median
- 6.30%
- Q1
- 2.19%
- Min
- -5.16%
JBLU has a negative Net Profit Margin of -5.16%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
NSC
24.22%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 33.54%
- Q3
- 16.85%
- Median
- 7.19%
- Q1
- 4.37%
- Min
- -12.12%
A Net Profit Margin of 24.22% 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)
JBLU
-2.77%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 22.11%
- Q3
- 12.67%
- Median
- 8.27%
- Q1
- 4.07%
- Min
- -2.77%
JBLU has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -2.77%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
NSC
37.20%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.90%
- Q3
- 24.00%
- Median
- 10.93%
- Q1
- 7.11%
- Min
- -12.12%
An Operating Profit Margin of 37.20% 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 | JBLU | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -19.21% | 20.17% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -2.78% | 6.72% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -5.16% | 24.22% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -2.77% | 37.20% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 69.31% | 50.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
JBLU
0.82
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 1.46
- Q3
- 0.91
- Median
- 0.68
- Q1
- 0.51
- Min
- 0.19
JBLU’s Current Ratio of 0.82 aligns with the median group of the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NSC
0.86
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.11
- Q3
- 1.32
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.74
- Min
- 0.39
NSC’s Current Ratio of 0.86 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)
JBLU
3.73
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 10.23
- Q3
- 4.67
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- 0.00
JBLU’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 3.73 is typical for the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
NSC
1.13
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.54
- Q3
- 1.52
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.00
NSC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.13 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)
JBLU
-2.37
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 22.60
- Q3
- 17.27
- Median
- 6.75
- Q1
- 1.94
- Min
- -8.55
JBLU has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -2.37. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
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 | JBLU | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 0.86 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 3.73 | 1.13 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -2.37 | 5.21 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
JBLU
0.00%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 7.00%
- Q3
- 3.61%
- Median
- 1.57%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
JBLU 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
1.75%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.32%
- Q3
- 2.61%
- Median
- 1.59%
- Q1
- 0.75%
- Min
- 0.00%
NSC’s Dividend Yield of 1.75% is consistent with its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
JBLU
0.00%
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 93.13%
- Q3
- 51.43%
- Median
- 14.52%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
JBLU 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
41.12%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 149.12%
- Q3
- 76.66%
- Median
- 45.70%
- Q1
- 15.53%
- Min
- 0.00%
NSC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 41.12% 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 | JBLU | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 1.75% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 41.12% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
JBLU
--
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 13.99
- Q3
- 10.90
- Median
- 8.70
- Q1
- 6.40
- Min
- 2.58
P/E Ratio data for JBLU is currently unavailable.
NSC
23.51
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.48
- Q3
- 25.52
- Median
- 16.81
- Q1
- 12.10
- Min
- 5.45
NSC’s P/E Ratio of 23.51 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)
JBLU
0.17
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 1.48
- Q3
- 0.83
- Median
- 0.61
- Q1
- 0.37
- Min
- 0.08
In the lower quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry, JBLU’s P/S Ratio of 0.17 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
5.69
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 3.82
- Q3
- 2.15
- Median
- 1.37
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- 0.19
With a P/S Ratio of 5.69, 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)
JBLU
0.79
Passenger Airlines Industry
- Max
- 3.44
- Q3
- 3.03
- Median
- 2.07
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.49
JBLU’s P/B Ratio of 0.79 is in the lower quartile for the Passenger Airlines industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
NSC
4.86
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.19
- Q3
- 3.11
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.69
NSC’s P/B Ratio of 4.86 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 | JBLU | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | -- | 23.51 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.17 | 5.69 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 0.79 | 4.86 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 6.54 | 33.17 |