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Side-by-side financial comparison of Hilton Worldwide (HLT) 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 $2.9B, roughly 1.0× Hilton Worldwide). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 13.0%, a 8.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Hilton Worldwide posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.0% vs -1.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Hilton Worldwide's revenue compounded faster (-0.2% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. is an American multinational hospitality company that manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels, resorts, and timeshare properties. Founded by Conrad Hilton in May 1919, the company is now led by Christopher J. Nassetta. Hilton is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, United States.

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.

HLT vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.0× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$2.9B
HLT
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
HLT
HLT
+10.6% gap
HLT
9.0%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
8.6% more per $
NSC
21.7%
13.0%
HLT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HLT
HLT
Annualised
HLT
-0.2%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$2.9B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$383.0M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
23.1%
31.5%
Net Margin
13.0%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
9.0%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
27.7%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$1.66
$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
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$2.9B
Q4 25
$3.1B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$3.1B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$3.1B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$2.7B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$3.0B
Net Profit
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$383.0M
Q4 25
$297.0M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$420.0M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$440.0M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$300.0M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$505.0M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$344.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$421.0M
$737.0M
Operating Margin
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
23.1%
Q4 25
19.5%
31.5%
Q3 25
24.9%
35.4%
Q2 25
24.8%
37.8%
Q1 25
19.9%
38.3%
Q4 24
17.6%
37.4%
Q3 24
21.7%
52.3%
Q2 24
24.6%
37.2%
Net Margin
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
13.0%
Q4 25
9.6%
21.7%
Q3 25
13.5%
22.9%
Q2 25
14.0%
24.7%
Q1 25
11.1%
25.1%
Q4 24
18.1%
24.2%
Q3 24
12.0%
36.0%
Q2 24
14.3%
24.2%
EPS (diluted)
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$1.66
Q4 25
$1.27
$2.87
Q3 25
$1.78
$3.16
Q2 25
$1.84
$3.41
Q1 25
$1.23
$3.31
Q4 24
$2.05
$3.24
Q3 24
$1.38
$4.85
Q2 24
$1.67
$3.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$12.4M
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$15.5B
Total Assets
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$918.0M
$1.5B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$371.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$731.0M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$1.6B
$975.0M
Q2 24
$731.0M
$659.0M
Total Debt
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
$12.4M
Q4 25
$12.3B
$16.5B
Q3 25
$11.6B
$16.5B
Q2 25
$10.9B
$16.5B
Q1 25
$10.6B
$16.7B
Q4 24
$10.6B
$16.7B
Q3 24
$10.6B
$16.6B
Q2 24
$9.6B
$16.9B
Stockholders' Equity
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-5.4B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$-4.9B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$-4.6B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$-4.4B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$-3.7B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$-3.5B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$-3.1B
$13.0B
Total Assets
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$16.8B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$16.6B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$15.9B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$16.0B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$16.5B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$16.7B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$15.7B
$42.6B
Debt / Equity
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
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×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.3%
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
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$203.0M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$816.0M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$658.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$452.0M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$582.0M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$664.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$421.0M
$1.0B
Free Cash Flow
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$173.0M
$334.0M
Q3 25
$787.0M
$720.0M
Q2 25
$635.0M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$433.0M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$534.0M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$647.0M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$406.0M
$468.0M
FCF Margin
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
5.6%
11.2%
Q3 25
25.2%
23.2%
Q2 25
20.2%
19.4%
Q1 25
16.1%
16.7%
Q4 24
19.2%
9.1%
Q3 24
22.6%
21.1%
Q2 24
13.8%
15.4%
Capex Intensity
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
0.3%
Q4 25
1.0%
24.5%
Q3 25
0.9%
17.8%
Q2 25
0.7%
15.3%
Q1 25
0.7%
15.0%
Q4 24
1.7%
22.3%
Q3 24
0.6%
19.0%
Q2 24
0.5%
18.7%
Cash Conversion
HLT
HLT
NSC
NSC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.68×
1.65×
Q3 25
1.94×
1.79×
Q2 25
1.50×
1.40×
Q1 25
1.51×
1.27×
Q4 24
1.15×
1.30×
Q3 24
1.93×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.00×
1.41×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HLT
HLT

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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