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NSC vs. UBER: Norfolk Southern vs. Uber Stock Comparison

How do Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER) both belong to the Ground Transportation industry, though NSC is classified under Rail Transportation while UBER falls under Passenger Ground Transportation.

Company profile comparison for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
Profile ItemNSCUBER
NameNorfolk Southern CorporationUber Technologies, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupTransportationTransportation
GICS IndustryGround TransportationGround Transportation
GICS Sub-IndustryRail TransportationPassenger Ground Transportation
Market Capitalization75.11 billion USD155.13 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 2, 1982May 10, 2019
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NSC
UBER
GSPC
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
Total Return (1Y)20.46%-16.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.26%19.19%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)6.67%12.46%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NSC
UBER
GSPC
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.44%35.51%
Beta (5Y)1.271.16
Max Drawdown (5Y)-35.64%-57.69%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.18M20.51M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NSC and UBER are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.81-0.59
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.27-0.85

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Uber (UBER) at 37.16% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 16.99% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UBER.

NSC

Transportation industry group

16.99%

Max
42.67%
Q3
21.91%
NSC
16.99%
Median
11.31%
Q1
1.69%
Min
-15.07%

UBER

Transportation industry group

37.16%

Max
42.67%
UBER
37.16%
Q3
21.91%
Median
11.31%
Q1
1.69%
Min
-15.07%
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 21.02% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Uber (UBER) at 17.35%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

NSC

Transportation industry group

21.02%

Max
50.36%
NSC
21.02%
Q3
20.85%
Median
5.56%
Q1
0.93%
Min
-11.37%

UBER

Transportation industry group

17.35%

Max
50.36%
Q3
20.85%
UBER
17.35%
Median
5.56%
Q1
0.93%
Min
-11.37%
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 35.30% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Uber (UBER) at 13.32%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

NSC

Transportation industry group

35.30%

Max
53.49%
NSC
35.30%
Q3
25.45%
Median
10.71%
Q1
3.19%
Min
-11.50%

UBER

Transportation industry group

13.32%

Max
53.49%
Q3
25.45%
UBER
13.32%
Median
10.71%
Q1
3.19%
Min
-11.50%
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
ROE (TTM)16.99%37.16%
ROA (TTM)5.95%6.88%
Net Margin (TTM)21.02%17.35%
Operating Margin (TTM)35.30%13.32%
Gross Margin (TTM)45.16%40.75%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Uber (UBER) at 18.28% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 0.47% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for UBER.

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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 10.20% and Uber (UBER) at 3.73% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
Revenue Growth (YoY)0.47%18.28%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.50%17.73%
EPS Growth (YoY)10.20%3.73%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.79%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 0.83 and Uber (UBER) at 0.84 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

NSC

Transportation industry group

0.83

Max
2.50
Q3
1.59
Median
1.14
NSC
0.83
Q1
0.79
Min
0.28

UBER

Transportation industry group

0.84

Max
2.50
Q3
1.59
Median
1.14
UBER
0.84
Q1
0.79
Min
0.28
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 1.06 and Uber (UBER) at 0.52 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NSC

Transportation industry group

1.06

Max
2.94
Q3
1.45
NSC
1.06
Median
0.82
Q1
0.36
Min
0.00

UBER

Transportation industry group

0.52

Max
2.94
Q3
1.45
Median
0.82
UBER
0.52
Q1
0.36
Min
0.00
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.830.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.060.52
Net Debt / EBITDA2.841.25

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Uber (UBER) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Norfolk Southern (NSC) reports a yield of 1.60%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NSC

Transportation industry group

1.60%

Max
3.74%
Q3
1.77%
NSC
1.60%
Median
0.67%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UBER

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
3.74%
Q3
1.77%
Median
0.67%
UBER
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Uber (UBER) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Norfolk Southern (NSC) reports a payout of 46.08%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NSC

Transportation industry group

46.08%

Max
100.88%
NSC
46.08%
Q3
44.15%
Median
20.14%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UBER

Transportation industry group

0.00%

Max
100.88%
Q3
44.15%
Median
20.14%
UBER
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.60%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)46.08%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 28.83 and Uber (UBER) at 16.66 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NSC

Transportation industry group

28.83

Max
62.08
Q3
34.61
NSC
28.83
Median
20.36
Q1
12.48
Min
2.19

UBER

Transportation industry group

16.66

Max
62.08
Q3
34.61
Median
20.36
UBER
16.66
Q1
12.48
Min
2.19
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Uber (UBER) at 2.81 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 5.99 prices even higher, above its industry range.

NSC

Transportation industry group

5.99

NSC
5.99
Max
4.54
Q3
2.43
Median
1.30
Q1
0.65
Min
0.07

UBER

Transportation industry group

2.81

Max
4.54
UBER
2.81
Q3
2.43
Median
1.30
Q1
0.65
Min
0.07
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 4.62 and Uber (UBER) at 6.25 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

NSC

Transportation industry group

4.62

Max
8.71
NSC
4.62
Q3
4.24
Median
2.00
Q1
1.17
Min
-2.47

UBER

Transportation industry group

6.25

Max
8.71
UBER
6.25
Q3
4.24
Median
2.00
Q1
1.17
Min
-2.47
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Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Uber (UBER): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Uber (UBER)
MetricNSCUBER
P/E Ratio (TTM)28.8316.66
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.992.81
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.626.25
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.84%4.67%