NSC vs. HAL
NSC (Norfolk Southern Corporation) and HAL (Halliburton Company) are both stocks. NSC operates in Railroads (Industrials), while HAL operates in Oil & Gas Equipment & Services (Energy). Over the past 10 years, NSC returned 16.29%/yr vs 1.02%/yr for HAL. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NSC vs. HAL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NSC achieves a 8.29% return, which is significantly lower than HAL's 44.62% return. Over the past 10 years, NSC has outperformed HAL with an annualized return of 16.29%, while HAL has yielded a comparatively lower 1.02% annualized return.
NSC
- 1D
- -1.12%
- 1M
- -0.67%
- YTD
- 8.29%
- 6M
- 6.71%
- 1Y
- 25.89%
- 3Y*
- 15.24%
- 5Y*
- 4.69%
- 10Y*
- 16.29%
HAL
- 1D
- 3.37%
- 1M
- 2.11%
- YTD
- 44.62%
- 6M
- 45.55%
- 1Y
- 101.95%
- 3Y*
- 10.25%
- 5Y*
- 12.92%
- 10Y*
- 1.02%
NSC vs. HAL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NSC Norfolk Southern Corporation | 8.29% | 25.65% | 1.55% | -1.63% | -15.59% | 27.26% | 24.76% | 32.39% | 5.22% | 36.85% |
HAL Halliburton Company | 44.62% | 7.02% | -23.19% | -6.47% | 74.45% | 21.99% | -21.23% | -4.90% | -44.63% | -8.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between NSC and HAL is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 2, 1982 | 0.31 |
Over the past year, the correlation between NSC and HAL has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.31, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
NSC:
$15.83
HAL:
$1.82
NSC:
19.57
HAL:
22.29
NSC:
2.97
HAL:
3.56
NSC:
4.29
HAL:
1.55
NSC:
$12.19B
HAL:
$22.17B
NSC:
$6.23B
HAL:
$3.40B
NSC:
$5.20B
HAL:
$3.83B
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Return for Risk
NSC vs. HAL — Risk / Return Rank
NSC
HAL
NSC vs. HAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) and Halliburton Company (HAL). 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.
| NSC | HAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.46 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.48 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.42 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.08 | 7.82 | -5.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.27 | 20.24 | -13.96 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NSC | HAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.32 | 2.78 | -1.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 | 0.32 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 | 0.02 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.14 | +0.28 |
Drawdowns
NSC vs. HAL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NSC drawdown since its inception was -67.74%, smaller than the maximum HAL drawdown of -92.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NSC and HAL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NSC | HAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.74% | -92.99% | +25.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.47% | -13.10% | +0.63% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.11% | -54.01% | +28.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.64% | -54.01% | +18.37% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.42% | -91.45% | +47.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.84% | -31.36% | +26.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.14% | -39.13% | +23.99% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.14% | 5.06% | -0.92% |
Volatility
NSC vs. HAL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) is 7.84%, while Halliburton Company (HAL) has a volatility of 10.08%. This indicates that NSC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HAL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NSC | HAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.84% | 10.08% | -2.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.01% | 24.20% | -8.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.77% | 36.99% | -17.22% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.06% | 40.19% | -15.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.54% | 45.98% | -18.44% |
Dividends
NSC vs. HAL - Dividend Comparison
NSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.74%, more than HAL's 1.68% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HAL Halliburton Company | 1.68% | 2.41% | 2.50% | 1.77% | 1.22% | 0.79% | 1.67% | 2.94% | 2.71% | 1.47% | 1.33% | 2.12% |
NSC Norfolk Southern Corporation | 1.74% | 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. HAL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Norfolk Southern Corporation and Halliburton Company. 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. HAL - Profitability Comparison
NSC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported a gross profit of 2.00B and revenue of 3.00B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 66.8%.
HAL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Halliburton Company reported a gross profit of 790.00M and revenue of 5.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 14.6%.
NSC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported an operating income of 877.00M and revenue of 3.00B, resulting in an operating margin of 29.3%.
HAL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Halliburton Company reported an operating income of 679.00M and revenue of 5.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 12.6%.
NSC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Norfolk Southern Corporation reported a net income of 547.00M and revenue of 3.00B, resulting in a net margin of 18.3%.
HAL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Halliburton Company reported a net income of 461.00M and revenue of 5.40B, resulting in a net margin of 8.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NSC and HAL have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
HAL has higher volatility (10.08%) compared to NSC (7.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NSC dropped -67.74% vs HAL's -92.99%.
HAL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.78 vs 1.32), 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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