NSC vs. MA
NSC (Norfolk Southern Corporation) and MA (Mastercard Incorporated) are both stocks. NSC operates in Railroads (Industrials), while MA operates in Credit Services (Financial Services). Over the past 10 years, NSC returned 16.29%/yr vs 18.40%/yr for MA. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NSC vs. MA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NSC achieves a 8.29% return, which is significantly higher than MA's -14.65% return. Over the past 10 years, NSC has underperformed MA with an annualized return of 16.29%, while MA has yielded a comparatively higher 18.40% 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%
MA
- 1D
- -1.10%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- -14.65%
- 6M
- -9.84%
- 1Y
- -17.21%
- 3Y*
- 10.21%
- 5Y*
- 6.59%
- 10Y*
- 18.40%
NSC vs. MA - 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% |
MA Mastercard Incorporated | -14.65% | 9.04% | 24.17% | 23.40% | -2.66% | 1.16% | 20.19% | 59.16% | 25.31% | 47.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between NSC and MA is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 25, 2006 | 0.44 |
Over the past year, the correlation between NSC and MA has dropped to 0.23 - well below their long-term average of 0.44, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
NSC:
$15.83
MA:
$17.28
NSC:
19.57
MA:
28.11
NSC:
2.97
MA:
1.64
NSC:
4.29
MA:
12.90
NSC:
$12.19B
MA:
$33.94B
NSC:
$6.23B
MA:
$26.70B
NSC:
$5.20B
MA:
$21.23B
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Return for Risk
NSC vs. MA — Risk / Return Rank
NSC
MA
NSC vs. MA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) and Mastercard Incorporated (MA). 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 | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 0.88 | +0.38 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.08 | -0.83 | +2.91 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.27 | -1.68 | +7.95 |
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 | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.32 | -0.78 | +2.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 | 0.28 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 | 0.69 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.83 | -0.41 |
Drawdowns
NSC vs. MA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NSC drawdown since its inception was -67.74%, which is greater than MA's maximum drawdown of -62.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NSC and MA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NSC | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.74% | -62.67% | -5.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.47% | -20.91% | +8.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.11% | -20.91% | -4.20% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.64% | -28.25% | -7.39% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.42% | -41.00% | -3.42% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.84% | -18.55% | +13.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.14% | -9.82% | -5.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.14% | 10.26% | -6.12% |
Volatility
NSC vs. MA - Volatility Comparison
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) has a higher volatility of 7.84% compared to Mastercard Incorporated (MA) at 6.33%. This indicates that NSC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NSC | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.84% | 6.33% | +1.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.01% | 17.37% | -1.36% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.77% | 22.28% | -2.51% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.06% | 23.99% | +1.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.54% | 26.93% | +0.61% |
Dividends
NSC vs. MA - Dividend Comparison
NSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.74%, more than MA's 0.67% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MA Mastercard Incorporated | 0.67% | 0.53% | 0.50% | 0.53% | 0.56% | 0.49% | 0.45% | 0.44% | 0.53% | 0.58% | 0.74% | 0.66% |
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. MA - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Norfolk Southern Corporation and Mastercard Incorporated. 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. MA - 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%.
MA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported a gross profit of 4.91B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 58.4%.
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%.
MA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported an operating income of 4.91B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 58.4%.
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%.
MA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported a net income of 3.88B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 46.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NSC and MA have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NSC has higher volatility (7.84%) compared to MA (6.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NSC dropped -67.74% vs MA's -62.67%.
NSC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.32 vs -0.78), 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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