NSC vs. SYM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NSC and SYM, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | NSC | SYM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Norfolk Southern Corporation | Symbotic Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Machinery |
| Market Capitalization | 61.10 billion USD | 28.18 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGM |
| Listing Date | June 2, 1982 | March 9, 2021 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NSC and SYM 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 | SYM |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -4.22% | 8.72% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 11.26% | 55.42% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 9.92% | 95.06% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 12.37% | 109.62% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.03% | -11.53% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 16.04% | 101.31% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.29M | 1.79M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.84M | 2.05M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.71% | 89.22% |
| Beta | 1.33 | 2.05 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
NSC
23.35%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 22.11%
- Q3
- 13.84%
- Median
- 9.66%
- Q1
- 7.55%
- Min
- 0.36%
NSC’s Return on Equity of 23.35% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
SYM
-7.69%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 34.68%
- Q3
- 19.06%
- Median
- 13.13%
- Q1
- 8.53%
- Min
- -4.87%
SYM has a negative Return on Equity of -7.69%. 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.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
NSC
27.51%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.20%
- Q3
- 18.59%
- Median
- 7.11%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -10.38%
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.
SYM
-0.71%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.74%
- Q3
- 11.24%
- Median
- 8.13%
- Q1
- 5.38%
- Min
- -1.11%
SYM has a negative Net Profit Margin of -0.71%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
NSC
41.45%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 41.31%
- Q3
- 23.16%
- Median
- 11.33%
- Q1
- 6.82%
- Min
- -12.08%
NSC’s Operating Profit Margin of 41.45% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Ground Transportation industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
SYM
-5.20%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 16.15%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -4.91%
SYM has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5.20%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | SYM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 23.35% | -7.69% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.66% | -0.88% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.51% | -0.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 41.45% | -5.20% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 51.67% | 16.30% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
NSC
0.79
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.03
- Q3
- 1.26
- Median
- 0.89
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.38
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.
SYM
1.08
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.32
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.78
SYM’s Current Ratio of 1.08 falls into the lower quartile for the Machinery 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
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.47
- 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.
SYM
0.00
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.75
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SYM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
NSC
5.21
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 51.07
- Q3
- 22.54
- Median
- 7.94
- Q1
- 2.72
- 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.
SYM
--
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 67.55
- Q3
- 33.79
- Median
- 13.87
- Q1
- 7.97
- Min
- -1.43
Interest Coverage Ratio data for SYM is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | SYM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.79 | 1.08 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.71 | 0.90 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.17 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.21 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
NSC
1.90%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.44%
- Q3
- 2.49%
- Median
- 1.53%
- Q1
- 0.39%
- Min
- 0.00%
NSC’s Dividend Yield of 1.90% is consistent with its peers in the Ground Transportation industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
SYM
0.00%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.32%
- Q3
- 2.84%
- Median
- 1.87%
- Q1
- 1.09%
- Min
- 0.00%
SYM 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
NSC
36.42%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 137.07%
- Q3
- 74.71%
- Median
- 41.16%
- Q1
- 15.12%
- 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.
SYM
0.00%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 202.17%
- Q3
- 98.65%
- Median
- 55.54%
- Q1
- 29.03%
- Min
- 0.00%
SYM 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | SYM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.90% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 36.42% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
NSC
19.18
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.59
- Q3
- 24.86
- Median
- 16.38
- Q1
- 12.79
- Min
- 4.37
NSC’s P/E Ratio of 19.18 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.
SYM
--
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 53.66
- Q3
- 31.29
- Median
- 22.00
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 7.00
P/E Ratio data for SYM is currently unavailable.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
NSC
5.28
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.02
- Q3
- 2.20
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.22
With a P/S Ratio of 5.28, 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.
SYM
11.92
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.04
- Q3
- 2.72
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.24
With a P/S Ratio of 11.92, SYM trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Machinery industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
NSC
3.90
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.95
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.64
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.
SYM
108.69
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.23
- Q3
- 3.90
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.49
At 108.69, SYM’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Machinery 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 | SYM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 19.18 | -- |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.28 | 11.92 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.90 | 108.69 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 31.74 | 54.72 |