NSC vs. CMI
NSC (Norfolk Southern Corporation) and CMI (Cummins Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — NSC in Railroads, CMI in Specialty Industrial Machinery. Over the past 10 years, NSC returned 16.79%/yr vs 21.10%/yr for CMI. Their 0.41 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
NSC vs. CMI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NSC achieves a 17.21% return, which is significantly lower than CMI's 25.05% return. Over the past 10 years, NSC has underperformed CMI with an annualized return of 16.79%, while CMI has yielded a comparatively higher 21.10% annualized return.
NSC
- 1D
- 0.46%
- 1M
- 3.96%
- 6M
- 16.20%
- YTD
- 17.21%
- 1Y
- 23.72%
- 3Y*
- 15.25%
- 5Y*
- 7.65%
- 10Y*
- 16.79%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.53%
CMI
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -4.16%
- 6M
- 10.28%
- YTD
- 25.05%
- 1Y
- 81.08%
- 3Y*
- 36.66%
- 5Y*
- 25.16%
- 10Y*
- 21.10%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.13%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
CMI Cummins Inc. | $594.50M | $582.86M | $699.47M |
| $484.48M | $381.58M | $373.28M |
NSC vs. CMI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NSC Norfolk Southern Corporation | 17.21% | 25.65% | 1.55% | -1.63% | -15.59% | 27.26% | 24.76% | 32.39% | 5.22% | 36.85% |
CMI Cummins Inc. | 25.05% | 49.36% | 48.92% | 1.72% | 14.09% | -1.68% | 30.50% | 38.04% | -22.06% | 32.74% |
Correlation
The correlation between NSC and CMI is 0.25, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.40 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.45 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 18, 1984 | 0.41 |
The correlation between NSC and CMI shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (1 year) to 0.50 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
NSC:
$75.35B
CMI:
$87.51B
NSC:
$15.63
CMI:
$19.26
NSC:
21.46
CMI:
32.93
NSC:
3.26
CMI:
0.37
NSC:
4.51
CMI:
2.60
NSC:
$12.54B
CMI:
$33.89B
NSC:
$6.73B
CMI:
$8.60B
NSC:
$5.42B
CMI:
$4.87B
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Return for Risk
NSC vs. CMI — Risk / Return Rank
NSC
CMI
NSC vs. CMI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) and Cummins Inc. (CMI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| NSC | CMI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.95 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.83 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.34 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.85 | 4.53 | -2.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.28 | 14.48 | -9.19 |
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Drawdowns
NSC vs. CMI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NSC drawdown since its inception was -67.74%, smaller than the maximum CMI drawdown of -75.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NSC and CMI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NSC | CMI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.74% | -75.66% | +7.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.47% | -16.71% | +4.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.11% | -30.48% | +5.37% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.64% | -30.48% | -5.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.42% | -44.05% | -0.37% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.33% | -12.84% | +8.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.10% | -22.17% | +7.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.35% | 5.22% | -0.87% |
Volatility
NSC vs. CMI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) is 7.39%, while Cummins Inc. (CMI) has a volatility of 10.87%. This indicates that NSC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CMI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NSC | CMI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.39% | 10.87% | -3.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.78% | 31.16% | -14.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.36% | 36.45% | -16.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.96% | 28.85% | -3.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.50% | 28.51% | -1.01% |
Dividends
NSC vs. CMI - Dividend Comparison
NSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.61%, more than CMI's 1.26% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CMI Cummins Inc. | 1.26% | 1.50% | 2.01% | 2.71% | 2.49% | 2.57% | 2.33% | 2.74% | 3.32% | 2.38% | 2.93% | 3.99% |
NSC Norfolk Southern Corporation | 1.21% | 1.87% | 2.30% | 2.28% | 2.01% | 1.40% | 1.58% | 1.85% | 2.03% | 1.68% | 2.18% | 2.79% |
Financials
NSC vs. CMI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Norfolk Southern Corporation and Cummins Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
NSC vs. CMI - Profitability Comparison
NSC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported a gross profit of 2.32B and revenue of 3.47B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 66.8%.
CMI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Cummins Inc. reported a gross profit of 2.24B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 26.7%.
NSC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported an operating income of 1.12B and revenue of 3.47B, resulting in an operating margin of 32.4%.
CMI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Cummins Inc. reported an operating income of 949.00M and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.3%.
NSC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported a net income of 734.00M and revenue of 3.47B, resulting in a net margin of 21.2%.
CMI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Cummins Inc. reported a net income of 654.00M and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 7.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NSC and CMI have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CMI has higher volatility (10.87%) compared to NSC (7.39%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NSC dropped -67.74% vs CMI's -75.66%.
CMI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.08 vs 1.13), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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