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Side-by-side financial comparison of Carlyle Group Inc. (CG) 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 $1.9B, roughly 1.6× Carlyle Group Inc.). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 18.8%, a 2.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Carlyle Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (84.1% vs -1.7%). Norfolk Southern produced more free cash flow last quarter ($334.0M vs $-1.2B). Over the past eight quarters, Carlyle Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (66.2% CAGR vs -0.5%).

The Carlyle Group Inc. is an American multinational company with operations in private equity, alternative asset management and financial services. As of 2023, the company had $426 billion of assets under management.

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.

CG vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.6× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$1.9B
CG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CG
CG
+85.8% gap
CG
84.1%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
2.8% more per $
NSC
21.7%
18.8%
CG
More free cash flow
NSC
NSC
$1.6B more FCF
NSC
$334.0M
$-1.2B
CG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CG
CG
Annualised
CG
66.2%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$1.9B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$358.1M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
24.3%
31.5%
Net Margin
18.8%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
84.1%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
69.8%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.96
$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
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$1.9B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$332.7M
$3.1B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$973.1M
$3.0B
Q4 24
$1.0B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$2.6B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$1.1B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$688.4M
$3.0B
Net Profit
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$358.1M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$900.0K
$711.0M
Q2 25
$319.7M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$130.0M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$210.9M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$595.7M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$148.2M
$737.0M
Q1 24
$65.6M
$53.0M
Operating Margin
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
24.3%
31.5%
Q3 25
25.8%
35.4%
Q2 25
28.0%
37.8%
Q1 25
17.6%
38.3%
Q4 24
25.7%
37.4%
Q3 24
29.9%
52.3%
Q2 24
20.5%
37.2%
Q1 24
17.5%
7.1%
Net Margin
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
18.8%
21.7%
Q3 25
0.3%
22.9%
Q2 25
20.3%
24.7%
Q1 25
13.4%
25.1%
Q4 24
20.4%
24.2%
Q3 24
22.6%
36.0%
Q2 24
13.9%
24.2%
Q1 24
9.5%
1.8%
EPS (diluted)
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$0.96
$2.87
Q3 25
$0.00
$3.16
Q2 25
$0.87
$3.41
Q1 25
$0.35
$3.31
Q4 24
$0.56
$3.24
Q3 24
$1.63
$4.85
Q2 24
$0.40
$3.25
Q1 24
$0.18
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$2.0B
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$7.1B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$29.1B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$2.0B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$2.2B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.0B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$1.4B
$975.0M
Q2 24
$914.8M
$659.0M
Q1 24
$1.3B
$652.0M
Total Debt
CG
CG
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
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$7.1B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$6.8B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$6.7B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$6.4B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$6.3B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$6.3B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$13.0B
Q1 24
$5.7B
$12.5B
Total Assets
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$29.1B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$27.1B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$25.1B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$24.1B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$23.1B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$22.7B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$22.3B
$42.6B
Q1 24
$20.8B
$42.1B
Debt / Equity
CG
CG
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
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-1.2B
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-1.2B
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-65.1%
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.2%
24.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-3.34×
1.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-3.4B
$2.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$-1.2B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$-1.6B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$-168.8M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$-352.1M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$-352.8M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$791.9M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$-1.3B
$1.0B
Q1 24
$71.1M
$839.0M
Free Cash Flow
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$-1.2B
$334.0M
Q3 25
$-1.6B
$720.0M
Q2 25
$-186.3M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$-368.8M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$-379.5M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$772.8M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$-1.3B
$468.0M
Q1 24
$56.9M
$282.0M
FCF Margin
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
-65.1%
11.2%
Q3 25
-475.7%
23.2%
Q2 25
-11.8%
19.4%
Q1 25
-37.9%
16.7%
Q4 24
-36.8%
9.1%
Q3 24
29.3%
21.1%
Q2 24
-120.4%
15.4%
Q1 24
8.3%
9.4%
Capex Intensity
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
2.2%
24.5%
Q3 25
7.0%
17.8%
Q2 25
1.1%
15.3%
Q1 25
1.7%
15.0%
Q4 24
2.6%
22.3%
Q3 24
0.7%
19.0%
Q2 24
1.7%
18.7%
Q1 24
2.1%
18.5%
Cash Conversion
CG
CG
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
-3.34×
1.65×
Q3 25
-1732.78×
1.79×
Q2 25
-0.53×
1.40×
Q1 25
-2.71×
1.27×
Q4 24
-1.67×
1.30×
Q3 24
1.33×
1.12×
Q2 24
-8.57×
1.41×
Q1 24
1.08×
15.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CG
CG

Fund Management Fee$606.8M32%
Other$528.7M28%
Global Private Equity Segment$307.3M16%
Global Credit Segment$238.0M13%
Carlyle Alp Invest Segment$124.6M7%
Incentive Fee$55.4M3%
Fee Related Performance Revenues$29.2M2%
Investment Advice$11.1M1%

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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