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Side-by-side financial comparison of COMMERCIAL METALS Co (CMC) 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 $2.1B, roughly 1.4× COMMERCIAL METALS Co). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 8.4%, a 13.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, COMMERCIAL METALS Co posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (11.0% vs -1.7%). Norfolk Southern produced more free cash flow last quarter ($334.0M vs $78.8M). Over the past eight quarters, COMMERCIAL METALS Co's revenue compounded faster (7.1% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Commercial Metals Company (CMC) is a company that produces rebar and related construction materials headquartered in Irving, Texas. Along with Nucor, it is one of two primary suppliers of steel used to reinforce concrete in buildings, bridges, roads, and infrastructure in the U.S. The company also owns Tensar, a producer of foundation systems used for the construction of roadways, public infrastructure, and industrial facilities.

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.

CMC vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.4× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$2.1B
CMC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CMC
CMC
+12.7% gap
CMC
11.0%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
13.3% more per $
NSC
21.7%
8.4%
CMC
More free cash flow
NSC
NSC
$255.3M more FCF
NSC
$334.0M
$78.8M
CMC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CMC
CMC
Annualised
CMC
7.1%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$2.1B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$177.3M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
19.2%
Operating Margin
8.6%
31.5%
Net Margin
8.4%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
11.0%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
200.9%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$1.58
$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
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$2.1B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$2.0B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$1.8B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$2.0B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$2.1B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$1.8B
$3.0B
Net Profit
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$177.3M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$151.8M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$83.1M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$25.5M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$-175.7M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$103.9M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$119.4M
$737.0M
Q1 24
$85.8M
$53.0M
Gross Margin
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
19.2%
Q3 25
18.6%
Q2 25
14.8%
Q1 25
12.5%
Q4 24
16.1%
Q3 24
16.2%
Q2 24
16.4%
Q1 24
16.0%
Operating Margin
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
8.6%
31.5%
Q3 25
9.1%
35.4%
Q2 25
5.4%
37.8%
Q1 25
2.1%
38.3%
Q4 24
-12.1%
37.4%
Q3 24
6.7%
52.3%
Q2 24
7.7%
37.2%
Q1 24
6.3%
7.1%
Net Margin
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
8.4%
21.7%
Q3 25
7.2%
22.9%
Q2 25
4.1%
24.7%
Q1 25
1.5%
25.1%
Q4 24
-9.2%
24.2%
Q3 24
5.2%
36.0%
Q2 24
5.7%
24.2%
Q1 24
4.6%
1.8%
EPS (diluted)
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$1.58
$2.87
Q3 25
$1.33
$3.16
Q2 25
$0.73
$3.41
Q1 25
$0.22
$3.31
Q4 24
$-1.54
$3.24
Q3 24
$0.90
$4.85
Q2 24
$1.02
$3.25
Q1 24
$0.73
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.0B
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.3B
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.3B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$9.2B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.77×
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$1.0B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$1.0B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$893.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$758.4M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$856.1M
$1.6B
Q3 24
$857.9M
$975.0M
Q2 24
$698.3M
$659.0M
Q1 24
$638.3M
$652.0M
Total Debt
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$3.3B
$16.5B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$16.5B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$16.5B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$16.7B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$16.7B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$16.6B
Q2 24
$1.1B
$16.9B
Q1 24
$1.1B
$17.2B
Stockholders' Equity
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$4.3B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$4.2B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$4.1B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$4.0B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$4.0B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$4.3B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$13.0B
Q1 24
$4.2B
$12.5B
Total Assets
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$9.2B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$7.2B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$7.0B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$6.7B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$6.8B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$6.8B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$6.7B
$42.6B
Q1 24
$6.7B
$42.1B
Debt / Equity
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
0.77×
1.06×
Q3 25
0.31×
1.09×
Q2 25
0.32×
1.11×
Q1 25
0.29×
1.15×
Q4 24
0.29×
1.16×
Q3 24
0.27×
1.21×
Q2 24
0.27×
1.30×
Q1 24
0.27×
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
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$204.2M
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$78.8M
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
3.7%
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.9%
24.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.15×
1.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$296.2M
$2.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$204.2M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$315.2M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$154.4M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$32.4M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$213.0M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$351.8M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$197.9M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$89.0M
$839.0M
Free Cash Flow
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$78.8M
$334.0M
Q3 25
$206.3M
$720.0M
Q2 25
$65.0M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$-53.8M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$94.8M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$270.3M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$115.8M
$468.0M
Q1 24
$-4.8M
$282.0M
FCF Margin
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
3.7%
11.2%
Q3 25
9.8%
23.2%
Q2 25
3.2%
19.4%
Q1 25
-3.1%
16.7%
Q4 24
5.0%
9.1%
Q3 24
13.5%
21.1%
Q2 24
5.6%
15.4%
Q1 24
-0.3%
9.4%
Capex Intensity
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
5.9%
24.5%
Q3 25
5.2%
17.8%
Q2 25
4.4%
15.3%
Q1 25
4.9%
15.0%
Q4 24
6.2%
22.3%
Q3 24
4.1%
19.0%
Q2 24
3.9%
18.7%
Q1 24
5.1%
18.5%
Cash Conversion
CMC
CMC
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
1.15×
1.65×
Q3 25
2.08×
1.79×
Q2 25
1.86×
1.40×
Q1 25
1.27×
1.27×
Q4 24
1.30×
Q3 24
3.39×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.66×
1.41×
Q1 24
1.04×
15.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CMC
CMC

Steel Products$670.8M32%
Downstream Products$505.3M24%
Construction Solutions Group$314.4M15%
Europe Steel Group$200.0M9%
Precast Products$141.6M7%
Construction Products$78.4M4%
Foley Products Company LLC$75.1M4%
Concrete Pipe And Precast LLC$69.4M3%
Ground Stabilization Products$49.9M2%

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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