NSC vs. PAC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NSC and PAC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NSC is a standard domestic listing, while PAC trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | NSC | PAC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Norfolk Southern Corporation | Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. de C.V. |
| Country | United States | Mexico |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Transportation Infrastructure |
| Market Capitalization | 67.01 billion USD | 12.31 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 2, 1982 | February 27, 2006 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NSC and PAC 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 | NSC | PAC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.42% | -4.82% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 17.36% | -1.40% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 27.42% | 12.35% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 21.89% | 25.48% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 7.30% | -3.91% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 28.00% | 17.67% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.94M | 0.82M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.99M | 0.70M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.45% | 22.67% |
| Beta | 1.34 | 1.41 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
PAC
42.80%
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 25.25%
- Q3
- 15.14%
- Median
- 10.37%
- Q1
- 6.63%
- Min
- 1.67%
PAC’s Return on Equity of 42.80% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Transportation Infrastructure industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
PAC
23.19%
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 56.87%
- Q3
- 32.94%
- Median
- 20.37%
- Q1
- 11.21%
- Min
- 1.22%
PAC’s Net Profit Margin of 23.19% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Transportation Infrastructure industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
PAC
42.29%
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 60.60%
- Q3
- 46.73%
- Median
- 31.03%
- Q1
- 15.90%
- Min
- 1.18%
PAC’s Operating Profit Margin of 42.29% is around the midpoint for the Transportation Infrastructure industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | PAC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 23.35% | 42.80% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.66% | 11.42% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.51% | 23.19% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 41.45% | 42.29% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 51.67% | 100.00% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
PAC
0.93
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 2.90
- Q3
- 1.82
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.25
PAC’s Current Ratio of 0.93 falls into the lower quartile for the Transportation Infrastructure industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
PAC
2.48
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 3.23
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 0.83
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.04
PAC’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Transportation Infrastructure industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.48. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
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.
PAC
5.20
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 29.26
- Q3
- 20.45
- Median
- 7.97
- Q1
- 4.97
- Min
- 2.01
PAC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.20 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Transportation Infrastructure industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | PAC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.79 | 0.93 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.71 | 0.93 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.17 | 2.48 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.21 | 5.20 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
NSC
1.82%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.29%
- Q3
- 2.57%
- Median
- 1.59%
- Q1
- 0.71%
- Min
- 0.00%
NSC’s Dividend Yield of 1.82% is consistent with its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
PAC
2.38%
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 8.64%
- Q3
- 4.96%
- Median
- 2.38%
- Q1
- 1.83%
- Min
- 0.00%
PAC’s Dividend Yield of 2.38% is consistent with its peers in the Transportation Infrastructure industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
PAC
71.16%
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 206.16%
- Q3
- 111.39%
- Median
- 71.16%
- Q1
- 37.58%
- Min
- 0.00%
PAC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 71.16% is within the typical range for the Transportation Infrastructure industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | PAC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.82% | 2.38% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 36.42% | 71.16% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
NSC
20.00
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 39.04
- Q3
- 24.45
- Median
- 17.51
- Q1
- 12.92
- Min
- 5.87
NSC’s P/E Ratio of 20.00 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.
PAC
21.02
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 33.87
- Q3
- 28.56
- Median
- 17.26
- Q1
- 11.95
- Min
- 6.33
PAC’s P/E Ratio of 21.02 is within the middle range for the Transportation Infrastructure 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)
NSC
5.50
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.22
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.24
With a P/S Ratio of 5.50, 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.
PAC
4.88
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 10.89
- Q3
- 5.40
- Median
- 3.20
- Q1
- 1.62
- Min
- 0.87
PAC’s P/S Ratio of 4.88 aligns with the market consensus for the Transportation Infrastructure industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
PAC
9.90
Transportation Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 4.74
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 1.96
- Q1
- 1.22
- Min
- 0.38
At 9.90, PAC’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Transportation Infrastructure industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | PAC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.00 | 21.02 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.50 | 4.88 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.90 | 9.90 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 33.09 | 19.40 |