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

Chipotle Mexican Grill is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.1B vs $3.0B, roughly 1.0× Norfolk Southern). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 9.8%, a 11.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Chipotle Mexican Grill posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (7.4% vs -1.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Chipotle Mexican Grill's revenue compounded faster (1.9% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., often known simply as Chipotle, is an American multinational chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos, and Mission burritos made to order in front of the customer. As of December 2025, Chipotle has 4,000 locations. Its name derives from chipotle, the Nahuatl name for a smoked and dried jalapeño chili pepper.

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.

CMG vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CMG
CMG
1.0× larger
CMG
$3.1B
$3.0B
NSC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CMG
CMG
+9.1% gap
CMG
7.4%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
11.8% more per $
NSC
21.7%
9.8%
CMG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CMG
CMG
Annualised
CMG
1.9%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$3.1B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$302.8M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
12.9%
31.5%
Net Margin
9.8%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
7.4%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.23
$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
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$3.1B
Q4 25
$3.0B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$3.1B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$2.9B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$2.8B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$3.0B
Net Profit
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$302.8M
Q4 25
$330.9M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$382.1M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$436.1M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$386.6M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$331.8M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$387.4M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$455.7M
$737.0M
Operating Margin
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
12.9%
Q4 25
14.1%
31.5%
Q3 25
15.9%
35.4%
Q2 25
18.2%
37.8%
Q1 25
16.7%
38.3%
Q4 24
14.6%
37.4%
Q3 24
16.9%
52.3%
Q2 24
19.7%
37.2%
Net Margin
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
9.8%
Q4 25
11.1%
21.7%
Q3 25
12.7%
22.9%
Q2 25
14.2%
24.7%
Q1 25
13.4%
25.1%
Q4 24
11.7%
24.2%
Q3 24
13.9%
36.0%
Q2 24
15.3%
24.2%
EPS (diluted)
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$0.23
Q4 25
$0.25
$2.87
Q3 25
$0.29
$3.16
Q2 25
$0.32
$3.41
Q1 25
$0.28
$3.31
Q4 24
$-12.51
$3.24
Q3 24
$0.28
$4.85
Q2 24
$0.33
$3.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$246.6M
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.4B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$8.8B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$246.6M
Q4 25
$1.0B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$1.5B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.4B
$1.0B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$1.4B
$975.0M
Q2 24
$1.5B
$659.0M
Total Debt
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0
$16.5B
Q3 25
$16.5B
Q2 25
$16.5B
Q1 25
$16.7B
Q4 24
$0
$16.7B
Q3 24
$16.6B
Q2 24
$16.9B
Stockholders' Equity
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$2.4B
Q4 25
$2.8B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$3.5B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$3.5B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$3.7B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$3.6B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$3.7B
$13.0B
Total Assets
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$8.8B
Q4 25
$9.0B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$9.3B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$9.3B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$9.0B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$9.2B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$9.0B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$8.9B
$42.6B
Debt / Equity
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.00×
1.06×
Q3 25
1.09×
Q2 25
1.11×
Q1 25
1.15×
Q4 24
0.00×
1.16×
Q3 24
1.21×
Q2 24
1.30×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$651.4M
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
24.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.15×
1.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$2.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$651.4M
Q4 25
$425.8M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$569.7M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$561.3M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$557.1M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$526.8M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$446.5M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$562.6M
$1.0B
Free Cash Flow
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$228.4M
$334.0M
Q3 25
$406.2M
$720.0M
Q2 25
$400.7M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$412.3M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$353.9M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$299.0M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$422.1M
$468.0M
FCF Margin
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
7.7%
11.2%
Q3 25
13.5%
23.2%
Q2 25
13.1%
19.4%
Q1 25
14.3%
16.7%
Q4 24
12.4%
9.1%
Q3 24
10.7%
21.1%
Q2 24
14.2%
15.4%
Capex Intensity
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
6.6%
24.5%
Q3 25
5.4%
17.8%
Q2 25
5.2%
15.3%
Q1 25
5.0%
15.0%
Q4 24
6.1%
22.3%
Q3 24
5.3%
19.0%
Q2 24
4.7%
18.7%
Cash Conversion
CMG
CMG
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
2.15×
Q4 25
1.29×
1.65×
Q3 25
1.49×
1.79×
Q2 25
1.29×
1.40×
Q1 25
1.44×
1.27×
Q4 24
1.59×
1.30×
Q3 24
1.15×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.23×
1.41×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CMG
CMG

Food and beverage revenue$3.1B99%
Delivery service revenue$15.5M1%

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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