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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ameren (AEE) and Norfolk Southern (NSC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Norfolk Southern is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.0B vs $1.8B, roughly 1.7× Ameren). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 14.2%, a 7.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Norfolk Southern posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-1.7% vs -8.2%). Norfolk Southern produced more free cash flow last quarter ($334.0M vs $-54.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Norfolk Southern's revenue compounded faster (-0.5% CAGR vs -0.9%).

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. It operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. The company engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution and transmission businesses. It primarily generates electricity through coal, nucle...

The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The company operates 19,420 route miles (31,250 km) in 22 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and has rights in Canada over the Albany to Montreal route of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City.

AEE vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.7× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$1.8B
AEE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NSC
NSC
+6.5% gap
NSC
-1.7%
-8.2%
AEE
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
7.5% more per $
NSC
21.7%
14.2%
AEE
More free cash flow
NSC
NSC
$388.0M more FCF
NSC
$334.0M
$-54.0M
AEE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NSC
NSC
Annualised
NSC
-0.5%
-0.9%
AEE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$1.8B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$253.0M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
20.2%
31.5%
Net Margin
14.2%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
-8.2%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
21.6%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.92
$2.87

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$1.8B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$2.7B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$2.2B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$2.1B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$1.8B
$3.0B
Net Profit
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$253.0M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$641.0M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$290.0M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$208.0M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$457.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$260.0M
$737.0M
Q1 24
$262.0M
$53.0M
Operating Margin
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
20.2%
31.5%
Q3 25
30.6%
35.4%
Q2 25
18.5%
37.8%
Q1 25
20.5%
38.3%
Q4 24
10.2%
37.4%
Q3 24
27.0%
52.3%
Q2 24
21.3%
37.2%
Q1 24
20.4%
7.1%
Net Margin
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
14.2%
21.7%
Q3 25
23.7%
22.9%
Q2 25
12.5%
24.7%
Q1 25
13.8%
25.1%
Q4 24
10.7%
24.2%
Q3 24
21.0%
36.0%
Q2 24
15.4%
24.2%
Q1 24
14.4%
1.8%
EPS (diluted)
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$0.92
$2.87
Q3 25
$2.35
$3.16
Q2 25
$1.01
$3.41
Q1 25
$1.07
$3.31
Q4 24
$0.77
$3.24
Q3 24
$1.70
$4.85
Q2 24
$0.97
$3.25
Q1 24
$0.98
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$13.0M
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$19.4B
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$13.4B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$48.5B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.45×
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$13.0M
$1.5B
Q3 25
$9.0M
$1.4B
Q2 25
$11.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$23.0M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$7.0M
$1.6B
Q3 24
$17.0M
$975.0M
Q2 24
$19.0M
$659.0M
Q1 24
$85.0M
$652.0M
Total Debt
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$19.4B
$16.5B
Q3 25
$16.5B
Q2 25
$16.5B
Q1 25
$16.7B
Q4 24
$17.8B
$16.7B
Q3 24
$16.6B
Q2 24
$16.9B
Q1 24
$17.2B
Stockholders' Equity
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$13.4B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$12.8B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$12.3B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$12.2B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$12.1B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$11.8B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$11.5B
$13.0B
Q1 24
$11.4B
$12.5B
Total Assets
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$48.5B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$47.4B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$46.6B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$45.7B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$44.6B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$43.3B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$42.3B
$42.6B
Q1 24
$41.3B
$42.1B
Debt / Equity
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
1.45×
1.06×
Q3 25
1.09×
Q2 25
1.11×
Q1 25
1.15×
Q4 24
1.47×
1.16×
Q3 24
1.21×
Q2 24
1.30×
Q1 24
1.37×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$956.0M
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-54.0M
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-3.0%
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
56.7%
24.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.78×
1.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-775.0M
$2.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$956.0M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$862.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$431.0M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$817.0M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$897.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$557.0M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$492.0M
$839.0M
Free Cash Flow
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$-54.0M
$334.0M
Q3 25
$116.0M
$720.0M
Q2 25
$-204.0M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$-633.0M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$-473.0M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$-240.0M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$-445.0M
$468.0M
Q1 24
$-398.0M
$282.0M
FCF Margin
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
-3.0%
11.2%
Q3 25
4.3%
23.2%
Q2 25
-9.2%
19.4%
Q1 25
-30.2%
16.7%
Q4 24
-24.4%
9.1%
Q3 24
-11.0%
21.1%
Q2 24
-26.3%
15.4%
Q1 24
-21.9%
9.4%
Capex Intensity
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
56.7%
24.5%
Q3 25
36.6%
17.8%
Q2 25
48.0%
15.3%
Q1 25
50.7%
15.0%
Q4 24
66.5%
22.3%
Q3 24
52.3%
19.0%
Q2 24
59.2%
18.7%
Q1 24
49.0%
18.5%
Cash Conversion
AEE
AEE
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
3.78×
1.65×
Q3 25
1.72×
1.79×
Q2 25
3.11×
1.40×
Q1 25
1.49×
1.27×
Q4 24
3.93×
1.30×
Q3 24
1.96×
1.12×
Q2 24
2.14×
1.41×
Q1 24
1.88×
15.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AEE
AEE

Segment breakdown not available.

NSC
NSC

Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Merchandise$1.9B63%
Metals And Construction$404.0M14%
Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Coal$347.0M12%
Automotive$293.0M10%

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