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Side-by-side financial comparison of AVIS BUDGET GROUP, INC. (CAR) 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 $2.7B, roughly 1.1× AVIS BUDGET GROUP, INC.). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs -28.0%, a 49.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Norfolk Southern posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-1.7% vs -1.7%). Over the past eight quarters, AVIS BUDGET GROUP, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (2.2% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Avis Budget Group, Inc. is an American car rental agency holding company headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. It is the parent company of several brands including Avis Car Rental, Budget Rent a Car, Budget Truck Rental, Payless Car Rental, and Zipcar.

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.

CAR vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.1× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$2.7B
CAR
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NSC
NSC
+0.0% gap
NSC
-1.7%
-1.7%
CAR
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
49.7% more per $
NSC
21.7%
-28.0%
CAR
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CAR
CAR
Annualised
CAR
2.2%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$2.7B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$-747.0M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
-27.8%
31.5%
Net Margin
-28.0%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
-1.7%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
61.8%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$-21.11
$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
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$2.7B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$3.5B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$3.0B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$2.4B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$2.7B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$2.6B
$3.0B
Net Profit
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$-747.0M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$359.0M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$4.0M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$-505.0M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$-2.0B
$733.0M
Q3 24
$237.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$14.0M
$737.0M
Q1 24
$-114.0M
$53.0M
Operating Margin
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
-27.8%
31.5%
Q3 25
13.4%
35.4%
Q2 25
0.5%
37.8%
Q1 25
-27.9%
38.3%
Q4 24
-104.8%
37.4%
Q3 24
9.5%
52.3%
Q2 24
0.9%
37.2%
Q1 24
-5.6%
7.1%
Net Margin
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
-28.0%
21.7%
Q3 25
10.2%
22.9%
Q2 25
0.1%
24.7%
Q1 25
-20.8%
25.1%
Q4 24
-72.3%
24.2%
Q3 24
6.8%
36.0%
Q2 24
0.5%
24.2%
Q1 24
-4.5%
1.8%
EPS (diluted)
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$-21.11
$2.87
Q3 25
$10.11
$3.16
Q2 25
$0.10
$3.41
Q1 25
$-14.35
$3.31
Q4 24
$-55.08
$3.24
Q3 24
$6.65
$4.85
Q2 24
$0.41
$3.25
Q1 24
$-3.21
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$519.0M
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-3.1B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$31.3B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$519.0M
$1.5B
Q3 25
$564.0M
$1.4B
Q2 25
$541.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$516.0M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$534.0M
$1.6B
Q3 24
$602.0M
$975.0M
Q2 24
$511.0M
$659.0M
Q1 24
$522.0M
$652.0M
Total Debt
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$16.5B
Q3 25
$16.5B
Q2 25
$16.5B
Q1 25
$16.7B
Q4 24
$16.7B
Q3 24
$16.6B
Q2 24
$16.9B
Q1 24
$17.2B
Stockholders' Equity
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$-3.1B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$-2.4B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$-2.7B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$-2.8B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$-2.3B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$-238.0M
$13.8B
Q2 24
$-490.0M
$13.0B
Q1 24
$-515.0M
$12.5B
Total Assets
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$31.3B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$32.5B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$32.4B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$29.0B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$29.0B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$32.7B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$33.9B
$42.6B
Q1 24
$33.5B
$42.1B
Debt / Equity
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
1.06×
Q3 25
1.09×
Q2 25
1.11×
Q1 25
1.15×
Q4 24
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
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$437.0M
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
24.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$2.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$437.0M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$837.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$619.0M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$772.0M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$1.2B
Q2 24
$884.0M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$589.0M
$839.0M
Free Cash Flow
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$334.0M
Q3 25
$720.0M
Q2 25
$602.0M
Q1 25
$501.0M
Q4 24
$276.0M
Q3 24
$645.0M
Q2 24
$468.0M
Q1 24
$282.0M
FCF Margin
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
11.2%
Q3 25
23.2%
Q2 25
19.4%
Q1 25
16.7%
Q4 24
9.1%
Q3 24
21.1%
Q2 24
15.4%
Q1 24
9.4%
Capex Intensity
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
24.5%
Q3 25
17.8%
Q2 25
15.3%
Q1 25
15.0%
Q4 24
22.3%
Q3 24
19.0%
Q2 24
18.7%
Q1 24
18.5%
Cash Conversion
CAR
CAR
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
1.65×
Q3 25
3.91×
1.79×
Q2 25
209.25×
1.40×
Q1 25
1.27×
Q4 24
1.30×
Q3 24
5.37×
1.12×
Q2 24
63.14×
1.41×
Q1 24
15.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CAR
CAR

Avis$1.5B57%
Budget$979.0M37%
Other Brands$171.0M6%

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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