UNP vs. NSC
UNP (Union Pacific Corporation) and NSC (Norfolk Southern Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Railroads industry within the Industrials sector. Over the past 10 years, UNP returned 14.29%/yr vs 16.27%/yr for NSC. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
UNP vs. NSC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UNP achieves a 13.53% return, which is significantly higher than NSC's 6.27% return. Over the past 10 years, UNP has underperformed NSC with an annualized return of 14.29%, while NSC has yielded a comparatively higher 16.27% annualized return.
UNP
- 1D
- 1.18%
- 1M
- -1.74%
- YTD
- 13.53%
- 6M
- 11.94%
- 1Y
- 19.46%
- 3Y*
- 11.62%
- 5Y*
- 5.84%
- 10Y*
- 14.29%
NSC
- 1D
- 1.36%
- 1M
- -3.29%
- YTD
- 6.27%
- 6M
- 5.22%
- 1Y
- 22.37%
- 3Y*
- 14.21%
- 5Y*
- 5.12%
- 10Y*
- 16.27%
UNP vs. NSC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UNP Union Pacific Corporation | 13.53% | 3.86% | -5.10% | 21.61% | -15.93% | 23.31% | 17.64% | 33.70% | 5.26% | 32.30% |
NSC Norfolk Southern Corporation | 6.27% | 25.65% | 1.55% | -1.63% | -15.59% | 27.26% | 24.76% | 32.39% | 5.22% | 36.85% |
Correlation
The correlation between UNP and NSC is 0.85, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 2, 1982 | 0.63 |
Over the past year, UNP and NSC have become more correlated (0.85) than their long-term average of 0.63, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
UNP:
$9.29
NSC:
$15.83
UNP:
27.99
NSC:
19.21
UNP:
5.60
NSC:
2.91
UNP:
8.35
NSC:
4.21
UNP:
$18.49B
NSC:
$12.19B
UNP:
$8.47B
NSC:
$6.23B
UNP:
$9.89B
NSC:
$5.20B
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Return for Risk
UNP vs. NSC — Risk / Return Rank
UNP
NSC
UNP vs. NSC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC). 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.
| UNP | NSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.32 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.22 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.59 | 1.80 | -0.21 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.80 | 5.25 | -1.45 |
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Drawdowns
UNP vs. NSC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UNP drawdown since its inception was -67.49%, roughly equal to the maximum NSC drawdown of -67.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNP and NSC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UNP | NSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.49% | -67.74% | +0.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.28% | -12.47% | +0.19% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.75% | -25.11% | +7.36% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.83% | -35.64% | +3.81% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.72% | -44.42% | +5.70% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.49% | -6.60% | +0.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.06% | -15.13% | -1.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.13% | 4.27% | +0.86% |
Volatility
UNP vs. NSC - Volatility Comparison
Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) has a higher volatility of 8.73% compared to Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) at 8.20%. This indicates that UNP's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NSC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UNP | NSC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.73% | 8.20% | +0.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.72% | 16.28% | +1.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.97% | 20.07% | +1.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.87% | 25.09% | -2.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.37% | 27.56% | -2.19% |
Dividends
UNP vs. NSC - Dividend Comparison
UNP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.12%, more than NSC's 1.78% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NSC Norfolk Southern Corporation | 1.78% | 1.87% | 2.30% | 2.28% | 2.01% | 1.40% | 1.58% | 1.85% | 2.03% | 1.68% | 2.18% | 2.79% |
UNP Union Pacific Corporation | 2.12% | 2.35% | 2.32% | 2.12% | 2.45% | 1.70% | 1.86% | 2.05% | 2.21% | 1.85% | 2.17% | 2.81% |
Financials
UNP vs. NSC - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Union Pacific Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation. 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
UNP vs. NSC - Profitability Comparison
UNP - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Union Pacific Corporation reported a gross profit of 4.35M and revenue of 6.22M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 69.9%.
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%.
UNP - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Union Pacific Corporation reported an operating income of 2.46M and revenue of 6.22M, resulting in an operating margin of 39.5%.
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%.
UNP - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Union Pacific Corporation reported a net income of 1.70M and revenue of 6.22M, resulting in a net margin of 27.4%.
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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
UNP and NSC have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UNP has higher volatility (8.73%) compared to NSC (8.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UNP dropped -67.49% vs NSC's -67.74%.
NSC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.12 vs 0.89), 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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