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Side-by-side financial comparison of Equinix (EQIX) 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 $2.4B, roughly 1.2× Equinix). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 11.0%, a 10.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Equinix posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.8% vs -1.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Equinix's revenue compounded faster (5.9% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Equinix Inc. is an American multinational company headquartered in Redwood City, California. It specialized in internet connectivity and data center colocation centers, commonly known as carrier hotels until the company converted to a real estate investment trust (REIT) in January 2015.

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.

EQIX vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.2× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$2.4B
EQIX
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
EQIX
EQIX
+10.4% gap
EQIX
8.8%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
10.7% more per $
NSC
21.7%
11.0%
EQIX
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
EQIX
EQIX
Annualised
EQIX
5.9%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$2.4B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$265.0M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
50.5%
Operating Margin
17.4%
31.5%
Net Margin
11.0%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
8.8%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
-22.7%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$2.70
$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
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$2.4B
Q4 25
$2.4B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$2.3B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$2.3B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$3.0B
Net Profit
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$265.0M
Q4 25
$265.0M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$374.0M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$368.0M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$343.0M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$-14.0M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$297.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$301.0M
$737.0M
Gross Margin
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
50.5%
Q4 25
50.5%
Q3 25
50.7%
Q2 25
52.0%
Q1 25
51.3%
Q4 24
47.1%
Q3 24
50.1%
Q2 24
49.9%
Operating Margin
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
17.4%
Q4 25
17.4%
31.5%
Q3 25
20.5%
35.4%
Q2 25
21.9%
37.8%
Q1 25
20.6%
38.3%
Q4 24
4.6%
37.4%
Q3 24
19.3%
52.3%
Q2 24
20.2%
37.2%
Net Margin
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
11.0%
Q4 25
11.0%
21.7%
Q3 25
16.1%
22.9%
Q2 25
16.3%
24.7%
Q1 25
15.4%
25.1%
Q4 24
-0.6%
24.2%
Q3 24
13.5%
36.0%
Q2 24
13.9%
24.2%
EPS (diluted)
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$2.70
Q4 25
$2.70
$2.87
Q3 25
$3.81
$3.16
Q2 25
$3.75
$3.41
Q1 25
$3.50
$3.31
Q4 24
$-0.19
$3.24
Q3 24
$3.10
$4.85
Q2 24
$3.16
$3.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$3.2B
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$14.2B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$40.1B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$3.2B
Q4 25
$3.2B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$4.5B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$3.7B
$1.0B
Q4 24
$3.6B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$3.2B
$975.0M
Q2 24
$2.0B
$659.0M
Total Debt
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$16.5B
Q3 25
$17.3B
$16.5B
Q2 25
$18.1B
$16.5B
Q1 25
$15.9B
$16.7B
Q4 24
$15.3B
$16.7B
Q3 24
$15.4B
$16.6B
Q2 24
$14.5B
$16.9B
Stockholders' Equity
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$14.2B
Q4 25
$14.2B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$14.2B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$14.1B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$13.9B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$13.5B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$13.6B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$12.3B
$13.0B
Total Assets
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$40.1B
Q4 25
$40.1B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$38.1B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$38.8B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$36.1B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$35.1B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$35.4B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$32.9B
$42.6B
Debt / Equity
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.06×
Q3 25
1.22×
1.09×
Q2 25
1.28×
1.11×
Q1 25
1.14×
1.15×
Q4 24
1.13×
1.16×
Q3 24
1.13×
1.21×
Q2 24
1.18×
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
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$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
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.1B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.0B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$944.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$809.0M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$981.0M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$758.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$912.0M
$1.0B
Free Cash Flow
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-292.0M
$334.0M
Q3 25
$-122.0M
$720.0M
Q2 25
$-45.0M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$59.0M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$-6.0M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$34.0M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$264.0M
$468.0M
FCF Margin
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
-12.1%
11.2%
Q3 25
-5.3%
23.2%
Q2 25
-2.0%
19.4%
Q1 25
2.7%
16.7%
Q4 24
-0.3%
9.1%
Q3 24
1.5%
21.1%
Q2 24
12.2%
15.4%
Capex Intensity
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
59.3%
24.5%
Q3 25
49.1%
17.8%
Q2 25
43.8%
15.3%
Q1 25
33.7%
15.0%
Q4 24
43.7%
22.3%
Q3 24
32.9%
19.0%
Q2 24
30.0%
18.7%
Cash Conversion
EQIX
EQIX
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.32×
1.65×
Q3 25
2.71×
1.79×
Q2 25
2.57×
1.40×
Q1 25
2.36×
1.27×
Q4 24
1.30×
Q3 24
2.55×
1.12×
Q2 24
3.03×
1.41×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

EQIX
EQIX

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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