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Side-by-side financial comparison of Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Simon Property Group (SPG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Norfolk Southern is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.0B vs $1.8B, roughly 1.7× Simon Property Group). Simon Property Group runs the higher net margin — 197.6% vs 21.7%, a 175.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Simon Property Group posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (13.2% vs -1.7%). Simon Property Group produced more free cash flow last quarter ($948.8M vs $334.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Simon Property Group's revenue compounded faster (11.4% CAGR vs -0.5%).

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.

Simon Media Properties, LLC, doing business as Simon Property Group, Inc., is an American real estate investment trust that invests in shopping malls, outlet centers, and community/lifestyle centers. It is the largest owner of shopping malls in the United States and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. As of December 31, 2024, it owned interests in 232 properties.

NSC vs SPG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NSC
NSC
1.7× larger
NSC
$3.0B
$1.8B
SPG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SPG
SPG
+14.9% gap
SPG
13.2%
-1.7%
NSC
Higher net margin
SPG
SPG
175.9% more per $
SPG
197.6%
21.7%
NSC
More free cash flow
SPG
SPG
$614.8M more FCF
SPG
$948.8M
$334.0M
NSC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SPG
SPG
Annualised
SPG
11.4%
-0.5%
NSC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Revenue
$3.0B
$1.8B
Net Profit
$644.0M
$3.5B
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
31.5%
49.7%
Net Margin
21.7%
197.6%
Revenue YoY
-1.7%
13.2%
Net Profit YoY
-12.1%
358.7%
EPS (diluted)
$2.87
$9.34

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
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$3.0B
$1.8B
Q3 25
$3.1B
$1.6B
Q2 25
$3.1B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$3.0B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$3.0B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$3.1B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$1.5B
Q1 24
$3.0B
$1.4B
Net Profit
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$644.0M
$3.5B
Q3 25
$711.0M
$702.7M
Q2 25
$768.0M
$643.7M
Q1 25
$750.0M
$477.9M
Q4 24
$733.0M
$771.8M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$546.7M
Q2 24
$737.0M
$569.4M
Q1 24
$53.0M
$841.2M
Operating Margin
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
31.5%
49.7%
Q3 25
35.4%
50.8%
Q2 25
37.8%
49.7%
Q1 25
38.3%
49.4%
Q4 24
37.4%
52.8%
Q3 24
52.3%
51.9%
Q2 24
37.2%
51.7%
Q1 24
7.1%
51.0%
Net Margin
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
21.7%
197.6%
Q3 25
22.9%
43.9%
Q2 25
24.7%
43.0%
Q1 25
25.1%
32.4%
Q4 24
24.2%
48.8%
Q3 24
36.0%
36.9%
Q2 24
24.2%
39.0%
Q1 24
1.8%
58.3%
EPS (diluted)
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$2.87
$9.34
Q3 25
$3.16
$1.86
Q2 25
$3.41
$1.70
Q1 25
$3.31
$1.27
Q4 24
$3.24
$2.04
Q3 24
$4.85
$1.46
Q2 24
$3.25
$1.51
Q1 24
$0.23
$2.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.5B
$823.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.5B
$28.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$15.5B
$5.2B
Total Assets
$45.2B
$40.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.06×
5.46×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$1.5B
$823.1M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$1.6B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$1.2B
Q1 25
$1.0B
$1.4B
Q4 24
$1.6B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$975.0M
$2.5B
Q2 24
$659.0M
$2.5B
Q1 24
$652.0M
$2.6B
Total Debt
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$16.5B
$28.4B
Q3 25
$16.5B
$25.8B
Q2 25
$16.5B
$25.4B
Q1 25
$16.7B
$24.8B
Q4 24
$16.7B
$24.3B
Q3 24
$16.6B
$25.4B
Q2 24
$16.9B
$25.3B
Q1 24
$17.2B
$25.5B
Stockholders' Equity
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$15.5B
$5.2B
Q3 25
$15.1B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$14.8B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$14.5B
$2.6B
Q4 24
$14.3B
$2.9B
Q3 24
$13.8B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$13.0B
$2.9B
Q1 24
$12.5B
$3.1B
Total Assets
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$45.2B
$40.6B
Q3 25
$44.6B
$33.6B
Q2 25
$44.2B
$33.3B
Q1 25
$43.8B
$32.5B
Q4 24
$43.7B
$32.4B
Q3 24
$43.3B
$33.3B
Q2 24
$42.6B
$33.4B
Q1 24
$42.1B
$33.7B
Debt / Equity
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
1.06×
5.46×
Q3 25
1.09×
10.98×
Q2 25
1.11×
10.36×
Q1 25
1.15×
9.50×
Q4 24
1.16×
8.25×
Q3 24
1.21×
9.37×
Q2 24
1.30×
8.59×
Q1 24
1.37×
8.22×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.1B
$1.2B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$334.0M
$948.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.2%
53.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
24.5%
14.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.65×
0.34×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$2.2B
$3.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$1.1B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$890.3M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$1.2B
Q1 25
$950.0M
$827.2M
Q4 24
$951.0M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$892.9M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$1.1B
Q1 24
$839.0M
$773.1M
Free Cash Flow
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
$334.0M
$948.8M
Q3 25
$720.0M
$685.0M
Q2 25
$602.0M
$971.3M
Q1 25
$501.0M
$597.0M
Q4 24
$276.0M
$867.7M
Q3 24
$645.0M
$706.5M
Q2 24
$468.0M
$874.8M
Q1 24
$282.0M
$610.1M
FCF Margin
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
11.2%
53.0%
Q3 25
23.2%
42.8%
Q2 25
19.4%
64.8%
Q1 25
16.7%
40.5%
Q4 24
9.1%
54.8%
Q3 24
21.1%
47.7%
Q2 24
15.4%
60.0%
Q1 24
9.4%
42.3%
Capex Intensity
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
24.5%
14.2%
Q3 25
17.8%
12.8%
Q2 25
15.3%
16.3%
Q1 25
15.0%
15.6%
Q4 24
22.3%
13.8%
Q3 24
19.0%
12.6%
Q2 24
18.7%
12.9%
Q1 24
18.5%
11.3%
Cash Conversion
NSC
NSC
SPG
SPG
Q4 25
1.65×
0.34×
Q3 25
1.79×
1.27×
Q2 25
1.40×
1.89×
Q1 25
1.27×
1.73×
Q4 24
1.30×
1.41×
Q3 24
1.12×
1.63×
Q2 24
1.41×
1.87×
Q1 24
15.83×
0.92×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

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%

SPG
SPG

Real Estate Segment$1.7B95%
Other$86.3M5%

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