NSC vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NSC and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NSC is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | NSC | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Norfolk Southern Corporation | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 67.01 billion USD | 15.23 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 2, 1982 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NSC and ZTO 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 | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.42% | 1.44% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 17.36% | 4.68% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 27.42% | -5.14% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 21.89% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 7.30% | 4.91% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 28.00% | -2.51% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.94M | 2.16M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.99M | 2.59M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.45% | 37.71% |
| Beta | 1.34 | 0.92 |
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.
ZTO
13.99%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.63%
- Median
- 11.99%
- Q1
- 7.41%
- Min
- 2.11%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 13.99% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
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.
ZTO
18.81%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 7.92%
- Q3
- 5.98%
- Median
- 4.11%
- Q1
- 2.45%
- Min
- 0.50%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
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.
ZTO
23.34%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 11.33%
- Q3
- 8.19%
- Median
- 5.82%
- Q1
- 3.63%
- Min
- 1.06%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 23.35% | 13.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.66% | 9.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.51% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 41.45% | 23.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 51.67% | 27.48% |
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.
ZTO
1.21
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.73
- Q3
- 1.33
- Median
- 1.15
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.61
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
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.
ZTO
0.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 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
- 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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.92
- Q1
- 6.34
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.79 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.71 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.17 | 0.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.21 | -- |
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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.28%
- Q3
- 3.20%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.55%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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
- 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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 60.17%
- Q1
- 4.60%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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 | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.82% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 36.42% | 0.00% |
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.
ZTO
12.20
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 30.08
- Q3
- 23.03
- Median
- 18.40
- Q1
- 12.84
- Min
- 5.90
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.20 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
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.
ZTO
2.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.28
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.19
With a P/S Ratio of 2.29, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics 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
- 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.
ZTO
1.59
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 5.68
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.97
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.80
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.59 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NSC | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.00 | 12.20 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.50 | 2.29 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.90 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 33.09 | 10.17 |