How do Norfolk Southern and Yum! Brands compare by revenue?

Norfolk Southern reported revenue of $3.0B in Q4 FY2025, while Yum! Brands reported $2.5B in Q4 FY2025. Norfolk Southern is 1.2× larger by last-quarter revenue.

Which is growing revenue faster, Norfolk Southern or Yum! Brands?

Norfolk Southern's latest revenue grew -1.7% year-over-year, versus 6.5% for Yum! Brands. Yum! Brands is growing faster on a YoY basis.

Which has a higher net margin, Norfolk Southern or Yum! Brands?

Norfolk Southern's net margin is 21.7% vs Yum! Brands's 21.3%. Norfolk Southern has the higher bottom-line margin.

Which generates more free cash flow, Norfolk Southern or Yum! Brands?

Norfolk Southern generated $334.0M of free cash flow last quarter, versus $482.0M for Yum! Brands. Free cash flow is operating cash flow minus capital expenditure — what's actually left for dividends, buybacks and debt repayment.

What is the 2-year revenue CAGR for Norfolk Southern vs Yum! Brands?

Over the trailing 8 quarters, Norfolk Southern compounded revenue at roughly -0.5% per year, versus 25.5% for Yum! Brands. Yum! Brands has the faster medium-term growth trajectory.

Where does this NSC vs YUM data come from?

All figures are parsed directly from SEC EDGAR 10-Q / 10-K / 20-F / 6-K filings (for US-listed issuers) or EDINET filings (for Japanese issuers), then normalised into a common schema. Numbers update automatically as new filings are released.

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Side-by-side financial comparison of Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Yum! Brands (YUM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Norfolk Southern is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.0B vs $2.5B, roughly 1.2× Yum! Brands). Norfolk Southern runs the higher net margin — 21.7% vs 21.3%, a 0.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Yum! Brands posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.5% vs -1.7%). Yum! Brands produced more free cash flow last quarter ($482.0M vs $334.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Yum! Brands's revenue compounded faster (25.5% CAGR vs -0.5%).

Norfolk SouthernNSCEarnings & Financial Report

NYSE · Industrials · Rail Transportation

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.

Yum! BrandsYUMEarnings & Financial Report

NYSE · Consumer Discretionary · Restaurants

Yum! Brands, Inc. is an American multinational fast food corporation. It was formed in 1977 as a subsidiary of PepsiCo, after the company acquired KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. PepsiCo divested the brands in 1997, and these consolidated as Yum!. The company operates KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Habit Burger & Grill, and several technology companies.

NSC vs YUM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue

NSC

1.2× larger

$3.0B

$2.5B

Growing faster (revenue YoY)

YUM

+8.1% gap

6.5%

-1.7%

Higher net margin

NSC

0.4% more per $

21.7%

21.3%

More free cash flow

YUM

$148.0M more FCF

$482.0M

$334.0M

Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR

YUM

Annualised

25.5%

-0.5%

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric	NSC	YUM
Revenue	$3.0B	$2.5B
Net Profit	$644.0M	$535.0M
Gross Margin	—	67.6%
Operating Margin	31.5%	29.3%
Net Margin	21.7%	21.3%
Revenue YoY	-1.7%	6.5%
Net Profit YoY	-12.1%	26.5%
EPS (diluted)	$2.87	$1.91

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

YUM

Q4 25	$3.0B	$2.5B
Q3 25	$3.1B	$2.0B
Q2 25	$3.1B	$1.9B
Q1 25	$3.0B	$1.8B
Q4 24	$3.0B	$2.4B
Q3 24	$3.1B	$1.8B
Q2 24	$3.0B	$1.8B
Q1 24	$3.0B	$1.6B

Net Profit

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$644.0M	$535.0M
Q3 25	$711.0M	$397.0M
Q2 25	$768.0M	$374.0M
Q1 25	$750.0M	$253.0M
Q4 24	$733.0M	$423.0M
Q3 24	$1.1B	$382.0M
Q2 24	$737.0M	$367.0M
Q1 24	$53.0M	$314.0M

Gross Margin

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	—	67.6%
Q3 25	—	70.3%
Q2 25	—	71.0%
Q1 25	—	70.9%
Q4 24	—	69.2%
Q3 24	—	71.4%
Q2 24	—	73.3%
Q1 24	—	75.0%

Operating Margin

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	31.5%	29.3%
Q3 25	35.4%	33.7%
Q2 25	37.8%	32.2%
Q1 25	38.3%	30.7%
Q4 24	37.4%	27.8%
Q3 24	52.3%	33.9%
Q2 24	37.2%	34.4%
Q1 24	7.1%	32.5%

Net Margin

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	21.7%	21.3%
Q3 25	22.9%	20.1%
Q2 25	24.7%	19.3%
Q1 25	25.1%	14.2%
Q4 24	24.2%	17.9%
Q3 24	36.0%	20.9%
Q2 24	24.2%	20.8%
Q1 24	1.8%	19.6%

EPS (diluted)

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$2.87	$1.91
Q3 25	$3.16	$1.41
Q2 25	$3.41	$1.33
Q1 25	$3.31	$0.90
Q4 24	$3.24	$1.49
Q3 24	$4.85	$1.35
Q2 24	$3.25	$1.28
Q1 24	$0.23	$1.10

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric	NSC	YUM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand	$1.5B	$709.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger	$16.5B	$11.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value	$15.5B	$-7.3B
Total Assets	$45.2B	$8.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage	1.06×	—

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$1.5B	$709.0M
Q3 25	$1.4B	$1.0B
Q2 25	$1.3B	$677.0M
Q1 25	$1.0B	$607.0M
Q4 24	$1.6B	$707.0M
Q3 24	$975.0M	$548.0M
Q2 24	$659.0M	$520.0M
Q1 24	$652.0M	$652.0M

Total Debt

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$16.5B	$11.9B
Q3 25	$16.5B	$11.5B
Q2 25	$16.5B	$10.4B
Q1 25	$16.7B	$11.3B
Q4 24	$16.7B	$11.3B
Q3 24	$16.6B	$11.2B
Q2 24	$16.9B	$11.1B
Q1 24	$17.2B	$11.1B

Stockholders' Equity

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$15.5B	$-7.3B
Q3 25	$15.1B	$-7.5B
Q2 25	$14.8B	$-7.7B
Q1 25	$14.5B	$-7.8B
Q4 24	$14.3B	$-7.6B
Q3 24	$13.8B	$-7.7B
Q2 24	$13.0B	$-7.6B
Q1 24	$12.5B	$-7.8B

Total Assets

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$45.2B	$8.2B
Q3 25	$44.6B	$7.2B
Q2 25	$44.2B	$6.9B
Q1 25	$43.8B	$6.7B
Q4 24	$43.7B	$6.7B
Q3 24	$43.3B	$6.5B
Q2 24	$42.6B	$6.4B
Q1 24	$42.1B	$6.2B

Debt / Equity

NSC

YUM

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×	—
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	NSC	YUM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter	$1.1B	$617.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex	$334.0M	$482.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue	11.2%	19.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue	24.5%	5.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit	1.65×	1.15×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters	$2.2B	$1.6B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$1.1B	$617.0M
Q3 25	$1.3B	$543.0M
Q2 25	$1.1B	$446.0M
Q1 25	$950.0M	$404.0M
Q4 24	$951.0M	$513.0M
Q3 24	$1.2B	$471.0M
Q2 24	$1.0B	$342.0M
Q1 24	$839.0M	$363.0M

Free Cash Flow

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	$334.0M	$482.0M
Q3 25	$720.0M	$449.0M
Q2 25	$602.0M	$375.0M
Q1 25	$501.0M	$333.0M
Q4 24	$276.0M	$407.0M
Q3 24	$645.0M	$419.0M
Q2 24	$468.0M	$292.0M
Q1 24	$282.0M	$314.0M

FCF Margin

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	11.2%	19.2%
Q3 25	23.2%	22.7%
Q2 25	19.4%	19.4%
Q1 25	16.7%	18.6%
Q4 24	9.1%	17.2%
Q3 24	21.1%	22.9%
Q2 24	15.4%	16.6%
Q1 24	9.4%	19.6%

Capex Intensity

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	24.5%	5.4%
Q3 25	17.8%	4.7%
Q2 25	15.3%	3.7%
Q1 25	15.0%	4.0%
Q4 24	22.3%	4.5%
Q3 24	19.0%	2.8%
Q2 24	18.7%	2.8%
Q1 24	18.5%	3.1%

Cash Conversion

NSC

YUM

Q4 25	1.65×	1.15×
Q3 25	1.79×	1.37×
Q2 25	1.40×	1.19×
Q1 25	1.27×	1.60×
Q4 24	1.30×	1.21×
Q3 24	1.12×	1.23×
Q2 24	1.41×	0.93×
Q1 24	15.83×	1.16×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

NSC

Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Merchandise	$1.9B	63%
Metals And Construction	$404.0M	14%
Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Coal	$347.0M	12%
Automotive	$293.0M	10%