NSC vs SPY

Comparison between Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC, Company) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY, ETF).

5-Year PerformanceSPY has outperformed NSC, delivering a return of +13.3% compared to +3.6%

NSC vs SPY - Performance Comparison

Log

Key Characteristics

Financial metrics and valuation ratios

Metric	NSC(COMPANY)	SPY(ETF)
Market Cap / Net Assets	$71B	$652B
Expense Ratio	N/A	0.09%
Max Drawdown	63.40%	56.47%
Sharpe Ratio	1.76	2.07
5Y Beta	0.72	1.00
Industry	Railroads	N/A
P/E Ratio	26.68	28.24
Forward P/E	25.97	21.85
PEG Ratio	4.64	N/A
Dividend Yield	1.73%	N/A
5Y Dividends CAGR	6.95%	5.43%
5Y EPS CAGR	5.43%	25.79%
Debt to Equity	0.00%	22.35%
Free Cash Flow Yield	2.27%	N/A
P/S Ratio	5.85	3.55
P/B Ratio	4.43	5.29

Market Cap / Net Assets

NSC

$71B

Winner

SPY

$652B

Expense Ratio

NSC

N/A

SPY

0.09%

Max Drawdown

NSC

63.40%

Winner

SPY

56.47%

Sharpe Ratio

NSC

1.76

Winner

SPY

2.07

5Y Beta

Winner

NSC

0.72

SPY

1.00

Industry

NSC

Railroads

SPY

N/A

P/E Ratio

Winner

NSC

26.68

SPY

28.24

Forward P/E

NSC

25.97

Winner

SPY

21.85

PEG Ratio

NSC

4.64

SPY

N/A

Dividend Yield

NSC

1.73%

SPY

N/A

5Y Dividends CAGR

Winner

NSC

6.95%

SPY

5.43%

5Y EPS CAGR

NSC

5.43%

Winner

SPY

25.79%

Debt to Equity

Winner

NSC

0.00%

SPY

22.35%

Free Cash Flow Yield

NSC

2.27%

SPY

N/A

P/S Ratio

NSC

5.85

Winner

SPY

3.55

P/B Ratio

Winner

NSC

4.43

SPY

5.29

NSC vs SPY - Historical Returns

Returns include dividend reinvestment.

Period	NSC	SPY
1 month	+6.55%	+9.11%
3 months	+2.50%	+6.59%
6 months	+10.73%	+10.56%
1 year	+41.83%	+32.04%
5 years(CAGR)	+3.62%	+13.35%
10 years(CAGR)	+15.79%	+15.49%
Max(CAGR)	+12.47%	+8.50%

NSC

+6.55%

Winner

SPY

+9.11%

NSC

+2.50%

Winner

SPY

+6.59%

Winner

NSC

+10.73%

SPY

+10.56%

Winner

NSC

+41.83%

SPY

+32.04%

5Y(CAGR)

NSC

+3.62%

Winner

SPY

+13.35%

10Y(CAGR)

Winner

NSC

+15.79%

SPY

+15.49%

Max(CAGR)

Winner

NSC

+12.47%

SPY

+8.50%

NSC vs SPY - Annual Returns (1999 - 2026)

Returns include dividend reinvestment.

Year	NSC	SPY
2026	+9.35%	+8.27%
2025	+25.69%	+18.00%
2024	+1.80%	+25.59%
2023	-2.17%	+26.72%
2022	-14.04%	-18.64%
2021	+29.53%	+30.52%
2020	+23.04%	+17.28%
2019	+32.39%	+31.09%
2018	+3.74%	-5.24%
2017	+38.20%	+20.78%
2016	+35.91%	+13.59%
2015	-20.47%	+1.31%
2014	+22.74%	+14.56%
2013	+50.68%	+29.00%
2012	-13.84%	+14.17%
2011	+17.09%	+0.85%
2010	+22.45%	+13.14%
2009	+10.40%	+22.67%
2008	-2.82%	-36.25%
2007	+4.37%	+5.32%
2006	+17.34%	+13.85%
2005	+27.85%	+5.32%
2004	+53.30%	+10.75%
2003	+17.17%	+24.18%
2002	+8.92%	-22.42%
2001	+35.70%	-10.13%
2000	-30.60%	-8.84%
1999	-16.27%	+8.61%

NSC vs SPY Drawdown Comparison

The maximum drawdown for NSC was -62.87%, occurring on Mar 9, 2009. Recovery took 669 trading sessions.

The maximum drawdown for SPY was -55.20%, occurring on Mar 9, 2009. Recovery took 1224 trading sessions.

The current NSC drawdown is -2.51%.

Rank	NSC	SPY
#1	-62.87% Jul 30, 2008 - Mar 25, 2011	-55.20% Oct 9, 2007 - Aug 16, 2012
#2	-49.94% Nov 16, 1999 - May 17, 2001	-47.50% Mar 24, 2000 - Oct 26, 2006
#3	-44.42% Jan 29, 2020 - Aug 24, 2020	-33.70% Feb 19, 2020 - Aug 10, 2020
#4	-41.69% Nov 26, 2014 - Jan 6, 2017	-24.50% Jan 3, 2022 - Dec 13, 2023
#5	-39.87% May 18, 2001 - Feb 28, 2002	-19.34% Sep 20, 2018 - Apr 12, 2019
#6	-35.65% Dec 31, 2021 - Jul 18, 2025	-18.76% Feb 19, 2025 - Jun 26, 2025
#7	-32.57% Mar 7, 2002 - Jun 23, 2004	-13.02% Jul 20, 2015 - Apr 18, 2016
#8	-28.82% May 10, 2006 - May 16, 2007	-10.10% Jan 26, 2018 - Aug 6, 2018
#9	-25.97% Jan 12, 2012 - Mar 15, 2013	-9.44% Sep 2, 2020 - Nov 11, 2020
#10	-24.77% Sep 18, 2018 - Mar 28, 2019	-9.30% Jan 19, 2000 - Mar 17, 2000
#11	-23.97% Jun 1, 2007 - Apr 16, 2008	-9.05% Jul 19, 2007 - Oct 5, 2007
#12	-21.59% Jul 7, 2011 - Jan 9, 2012	-8.88% Jan 27, 2026 - Apr 14, 2026
#13	-21.54% Mar 23, 2005 - Sep 20, 2005	-8.41% Jul 16, 2024 - Sep 19, 2024
#14	-18.82% Jul 16, 2019 - Jan 16, 2020	-7.35% Sep 14, 2012 - Jan 2, 2013
#15	-17.25% May 10, 2021 - Oct 28, 2021	-7.27% Sep 18, 2014 - Oct 31, 2014

Correlation

Correlation between NSC and SPY is 0.96 which considered as a very strong positive correlation - the stocks move almost identically together.

0.96

-101

Dividend Comparison (1999 - 2026)

NSC vs SPY dividend yield comparison.

Year	NSC	SPY
2026	0.87%	0.24%
2025	1.87%	1.07%
2024	2.30%	1.21%
2023	2.28%	1.40%
2022	2.01%	1.65%
2021	1.40%	1.20%
2020	1.58%	1.52%
2019	1.85%	1.75%
2018	2.03%	2.04%
2017	1.68%	1.80%
2016	2.18%	2.03%
2015	2.79%	2.06%
2014	2.03%	1.87%
2013	2.20%	1.81%
2012	3.14%	2.18%
2011	2.28%	2.05%
2010	2.23%	1.80%
2009	2.59%	1.95%
2008	2.59%	3.02%
2007	1.90%	1.85%
2006	1.35%	1.73%
2005	1.07%	1.73%
2004	0.99%	1.82%
2003	1.27%	1.47%
2002	1.30%	1.70%
2001	1.31%	1.25%
2000	6.01%	1.15%
1999	0.98%	0.24%