Norfolk Southern Corporation vs NetApp Inc. — how do they compare? Norfolk Southern Corporation trades at $334.66 (market cap $75.15B), while NetApp Inc. trades at $202.18 (market cap $38.95B). The key difference: Norfolk Southern Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Norfolk Southern Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NSC | NTAP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $75.15B | $38.95B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $350.66 | $198.72 |
52-Week Low | $272.35 | $94.11 |
Enterprise Value | $90.70B | $38.10B |
Dividend Yield | 1.61% | 1.05% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Norfolk Southern (NSC) trades at $334.44, up 0.15% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals, including three consecutive quarterly earnings beats, a net income margin of 21.02%, and robust cash flow from operations of $4.36B in 2025. Recent news highlights merger developments with Union Pacific and positive Q2 2026 results driven by freight demand.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $369.67, implying upside, but risks include high valuation (P/E 28.55), merger regulatory scrutiny, and fuel cost pressures. Institutional sentiment is mixed with 43.75% buy ratings, yet hedge fund activity suggests potential momentum.
NetApp (NTAP) trades at $200.96, up 1.13% with strong technical momentum as it approaches resistance near $201. The stock shows robust fundamentals with consistent earnings beats (Q1 2026 EPS of $2.43 vs. $2.27 expected) and impressive profitability metrics including 70.74% gross margin and 106.73% ROE. Recent acquisitions of JetStream Software and DataPelago strengthen the company's AI infrastructure capabilities, positioning it for growth in the enterprise data storage market.
Outlook remains positive with Wall Street analysts maintaining a mixed but leaning bullish stance (36.62% Buy ratings). Key opportunities include AI-driven demand for data infrastructure, while risks involve elevated valuation multiples (P/E 31.26) and competitive pressures in the storage sector. The current price sits near analyst consensus target of $170.73, suggesting limited near-term upside potential.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Norfolk Southern Corporation is a major North American railroad company operating one of the largest freight rail networks in the eastern United States. The company transports a diverse range of commodities, including coal, intermodal containers, and various industrial products. NSC is a critical link in the nation's supply chain, providing efficient, long-haul transportation services to and from ports and industrial centers.
Read more on NSC →NetApp is a leading provider of enterprise data management and storage solutions. The company's three operating business units are products, software maintenance, and hardware maintenance. NetApp transitioned from a data center storage firm to a company with software data management solutions for multicloud environments. The California-headquartered company sells globally and has approximately 10,000 employees.
Read more on NTAP →