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Side-by-side financial comparison of Host Hotels & Resorts (HST) 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 $1.6B, roughly 1.9× Host Hotels & Resorts). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 8.4%, a 13.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Host Hotels & Resorts posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.3% vs -1.7%). Host Hotels & Resorts produced more free cash flow last quarter ($445.0M vs $334.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Host Hotels & Resorts's revenue compounded faster (4.4% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., based in Bethesda, Maryland, is an American real estate investment trust that invests in hotels. As of December 31, 2024, the company owned 81 upscale hotels containing about 43,400 rooms in the United States, Brazil, and Canada.

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.

HST vs NSC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.9× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$1.6B
HST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
HST
HST
+13.9% gap
HST
12.3%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
NSC
NSC
13.2% more per $
NSC
21.7%
8.4%
HST
More free cash flow
HST
HST
$111.0M more FCF
HST
$445.0M
$334.0M
NSC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HST
HST
Annualised
HST
4.4%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Revenue
$1.6B
$3.0B
Net Profit
$135.0M
$644.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
12.0%
31.5%
Net Margin
8.4%
21.7%
Revenue YoY
12.3%
-1.7%
Net Profit YoY
25.0%
-12.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.20
$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
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$1.6B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$3.1B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$1.6B
$3.0B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$1.5B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$1.5B
$3.0B
Net Profit
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$135.0M
$644.0M
Q3 25
$161.0M
$711.0M
Q2 25
$221.0M
$768.0M
Q1 25
$248.0M
$750.0M
Q4 24
$108.0M
$733.0M
Q3 24
$82.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$239.0M
$737.0M
Q1 24
$268.0M
$53.0M
Operating Margin
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
12.0%
31.5%
Q3 25
7.6%
35.4%
Q2 25
17.5%
37.8%
Q1 25
17.9%
38.3%
Q4 24
11.0%
37.4%
Q3 24
10.2%
52.3%
Q2 24
19.9%
37.2%
Q1 24
19.8%
7.1%
Net Margin
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
8.4%
21.7%
Q3 25
12.1%
22.9%
Q2 25
13.9%
24.7%
Q1 25
15.6%
25.1%
Q4 24
7.6%
24.2%
Q3 24
6.2%
36.0%
Q2 24
16.3%
24.2%
Q1 24
18.2%
1.8%
EPS (diluted)
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$0.20
$2.87
Q3 25
$0.23
$3.16
Q2 25
$0.32
$3.41
Q1 25
$0.35
$3.31
Q4 24
$0.15
$3.24
Q3 24
$0.12
$4.85
Q2 24
$0.34
$3.25
Q1 24
$0.38
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$768.0M
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.3B
$16.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.6B
$15.5B
Total Assets
$13.0B
$45.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.19×
1.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$768.0M
$1.5B
Q3 25
$539.0M
$1.4B
Q2 25
$490.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$428.0M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$554.0M
$1.6B
Q3 24
$564.0M
$975.0M
Q2 24
$805.0M
$659.0M
Q1 24
$1.3B
$652.0M
Total Debt
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$1.3B
$16.5B
Q3 25
$16.5B
Q2 25
$16.5B
Q1 25
$16.7B
Q4 24
$896.0M
$16.7B
Q3 24
$16.6B
Q2 24
$16.9B
Q1 24
$17.2B
Stockholders' Equity
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$6.6B
$15.5B
Q3 25
$6.7B
$15.1B
Q2 25
$6.6B
$14.8B
Q1 25
$6.7B
$14.5B
Q4 24
$6.6B
$14.3B
Q3 24
$6.7B
$13.8B
Q2 24
$6.8B
$13.0B
Q1 24
$6.7B
$12.5B
Total Assets
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$13.0B
$45.2B
Q3 25
$13.0B
$44.6B
Q2 25
$13.0B
$44.2B
Q1 25
$12.9B
$43.8B
Q4 24
$13.0B
$43.7B
Q3 24
$13.1B
$43.3B
Q2 24
$12.4B
$42.6B
Q1 24
$12.5B
$42.1B
Debt / Equity
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
0.19×
1.06×
Q3 25
1.09×
Q2 25
1.11×
Q1 25
1.15×
Q4 24
0.14×
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
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$543.0M
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$445.0M
$334.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
27.8%
11.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
6.1%
24.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
4.02×
1.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.2B
$2.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$543.0M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$218.0M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$444.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$305.0M
$950.0M
Q4 24
$331.0M
$951.0M
Q3 24
$349.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$453.0M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$365.0M
$839.0M
Free Cash Flow
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
$445.0M
$334.0M
Q3 25
$143.0M
$720.0M
Q2 25
$381.0M
$602.0M
Q1 25
$259.0M
$501.0M
Q4 24
$235.0M
$276.0M
Q3 24
$262.0M
$645.0M
Q2 24
$409.0M
$468.0M
Q1 24
$332.0M
$282.0M
FCF Margin
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
27.8%
11.2%
Q3 25
10.7%
23.2%
Q2 25
24.0%
19.4%
Q1 25
16.2%
16.7%
Q4 24
16.5%
9.1%
Q3 24
19.9%
21.1%
Q2 24
27.9%
15.4%
Q1 24
22.6%
9.4%
Capex Intensity
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
6.1%
24.5%
Q3 25
5.6%
17.8%
Q2 25
4.0%
15.3%
Q1 25
2.9%
15.0%
Q4 24
6.7%
22.3%
Q3 24
6.6%
19.0%
Q2 24
3.0%
18.7%
Q1 24
2.2%
18.5%
Cash Conversion
HST
HST
NSC
NSC
Q4 25
4.02×
1.65×
Q3 25
1.35×
1.79×
Q2 25
2.01×
1.40×
Q1 25
1.23×
1.27×
Q4 24
3.06×
1.30×
Q3 24
4.26×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.90×
1.41×
Q1 24
1.36×
15.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HST
HST

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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