Compare Stocks › MA vs NSC

Mastercard Incorporated (MA) vs Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

As of 2026-06-19, MA is fairly valued at $490, with a DCF intrinsic value of $571 and a margin of safety of 14%. NSC is overvalued at $300, with an intrinsic value of $268 and a margin of safety of -12%. Of the two, MA has the wider margin of safety.

Mastercard Incorporated

$489.79

NSC

Norfolk Southern Corporation

$300.08

Rewards

★Mastercard Incorporated has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
★Gross margin of 100.0% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
★Mastercard Incorporated scores 99/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.

NSC

★Norfolk Southern Corporation has maintained ROIC above 10% for 4 consecutive years, suggesting solid business economics.
★Norfolk Southern Corporation scores 71/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

⚠High leverage (1.60x net debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
⚠12 insider sales with no purchases over the past 12 months — a persistent pattern of insider selling.

NSC

⚠PEG ratio of 4.55 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.

Key Valuation Metrics

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NSC

Valuation

$16.15B

Free Cash Flow

$2.16B

3.73%

FCF Yield

3.20%

28.31

Trailing P/E

25.28

21.50

Forward P/E

22.15

Quality & Moat

63.51%

ROIC

9.29%

232.08%

ROE

17.61%

100.00%

Gross Margin

45.85%

1.54

PEG Ratio

4.55

Balance Sheet Safety

1.60

Net Debt / Equity

1.03

N/A

Interest Coverage

N/A

0.50

Net Debt / EBITDA

2.92

0.69%

Dividend Yield

1.74%

MA: 7Ties: 2NSC: 3

MANSC

Historical Fundamentals

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Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

NSC

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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$5.62

created per $1 retained over 3 years

Exceptional Value Creator

Σ Retained

$31.68B

Δ Market Cap

+$177.96B

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

NSC

$2.35

created per $1 retained over 3 years

Exceptional Value Creator

Σ Retained

$3.66B

Δ Market Cap

+$8.59B

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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14.2% Margin of Safety

Price is 14.2% below estimated fair value

Current Price: $489.79

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

Fair Value: $571.14

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

NSC

12.0% Overvalued

Price is 12.0% above estimated fair value

Current Price: $300.08

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

Fair Value: $267.97

Strongly undervalued

Undervalued

Fairly valued

Overvalued

Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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What growth rate is the market pricing in at $490?

+13.0%

Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth

Standard FCF implies +12.0%

The market implies +13.0% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

Standard FCF implies +12.0%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

NSC

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $300?

+12.8%

Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth

Standard FCF implies +16.7%

The market implies +12.8% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.

Standard FCF implies a demanding +16.7%, reflecting heavy growth investment.

Economic Moat Score

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99/100

Wide Moat

70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

NSC

71/100

Wide Moat

70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat driven primarily by roic consistency. Reinvestment Efficiency is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.

Forensic Accounting

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-2.53

Unlikely Manipulator

Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

NSC

-2.63

Unlikely Manipulator

Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Ownership Breakdown

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Insiders 0.1%Institutions 91.6%Retail & Other 8.3%

No. of Institutional Holders4,804

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

NSC

Insiders 0.0%Institutions 78.3%Retail & Other 21.7%

No. of Institutional Holders2,269

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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Buys (3M)

Buys (12M)

No open market insider purchases found.

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

NSC

Buys (3M)

Buys (12M)

Total value (12M): $1.26M

CLYBURN WILLIAM JR.

Director

$60,137

@ $294.79 · 2025-12-05

FAHMY, SAMEH

Director

$466,900

@ $282.97 · 2025-11-05

ANDERSON RICHARD H

Director

$732,823

@ $281.86 · 2025-10-27

LAMPHERE GILBERT H

Director

$157,735

@ $259.86 · 2025-01-31

ANDERSON RICHARD H

Director

$99,459

@ $248.65 · 2024-12-13

CLYBURN WILLIAM JR.

Director

$49,930

@ $248.41 · 2024-12-13

FAHMY, SAMEH

Director

$87,280

@ $249.37 · 2024-12-12

GEORGE MARK R.

Chief Executive Officer

$49,967

@ $249.84 · 2024-12-11

ANDERSON RICHARD H

Director

$257,850

@ $257.85 · 2024-10-24

FAHMY, SAMEH

Director

$255,000

@ $255.00 · 2024-10-24

FAHMY, SAMEH

Director

$244,097

@ $244.10 · 2024-08-02

ANDERSON RICHARD H

Director

$494,960

@ $247.48 · 2024-07-29

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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Sells (3M)

Sells (12M)

Total value (12M): $39.22M

LING HAI

Officer

$4.48M

@ $499.20 · 2026-02-24

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$10.20M

@ $591.00 · 2025-09-02

LING HAI

Officer

$2.69M

@ $600.00 · 2025-08-22

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$10.46M

@ $586.89 · 2025-08-19

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$3.83M

@ $566.46 · 2025-08-05

GENACHOWSKI JULIUS

Director

$178,049

@ $570.67 · 2025-07-07

KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA

Officer

$536,480

@ $560.00 · 2025-06-30

SESHADRI RAJEEV

Officer

$601,447

@ $546.77 · 2025-06-27

GENACHOWSKI JULIUS

Director

$173,910

@ $561.00 · 2025-06-24

KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA

Officer

$536,480

@ $560.00 · 2025-06-24

SESHADRI RAJEEV

Officer

$508,474

@ $535.80 · 2025-06-20

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$5.02M

@ $532.97 · 2025-06-20

SESHADRI RAJEEV

Officer

$1.76M

@ $561.78 · 2025-06-16

KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA

Officer

$549,373

@ $572.86 · 2025-06-13

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$5.55M

@ $588.18 · 2025-06-12

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$8.22M

@ $585.05 · 2025-06-05

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$218,223

@ $577.31 · 2025-05-15

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$257,535

@ $572.30 · 2025-05-12

MIEBACH MICHAEL

Chief Executive Officer

$8.68M

@ $550.16 · 2025-03-26

MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE

Officer

$3.81M

@ $534.68 · 2025-03-19

MIEBACH MICHAEL

Chief Executive Officer

$9.78M

@ $553.76 · 2025-03-05

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$6.12M

@ $556.14 · 2025-03-05

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$6.19M

@ $562.72 · 2025-02-26

MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE

Officer

$6.18M

@ $564.99 · 2025-02-18

MIEBACH MICHAEL

Chief Executive Officer

$10.17M

@ $564.95 · 2025-02-18

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$7.97M

@ $565.00 · 2025-02-18

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$2.36M

@ $500.44 · 2024-11-01

MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR

Officer

$2.30M

@ $491.03 · 2024-09-27

MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR

Officer

$2.29M

@ $489.86 · 2024-09-20

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$550,000

@ $500.00 · 2024-09-17

MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR

Officer

$2.31M

@ $493.10 · 2024-09-13

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$528,000

@ $480.00 · 2024-08-29

MASTERCARD FOUNDATION ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security

$42.19M

@ $468.80 · 2024-08-22

MASTERCARD FOUNDATION ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security

$42.03M

@ $467.02 · 2024-08-21

LING HAI

Officer

$1.36M

@ $470.00 · 2024-08-16

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$3.16M

@ $470.00 · 2024-08-16

SACHIN J. MEHRA

Chief Financial Officer

$6.11M

@ $455.00 · 2024-08-05

LING HAI

Officer

$1.35M

@ $465.46 · 2024-08-01

ARKELL SANDRA A

Officer

$512,006

@ $465.46 · 2024-08-01

VOSBURG CRAIG

Officer

$4.07M

@ $451.06 · 2024-06-20

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

NSC

Sells (3M)

Sells (12M)

Total value (12M): $253,442

BHATT ANIL

Chief Technology Officer

$253,442

@ $281.60 · 2025-11-19

SHAW ALAN H

Former

$13.14M

@ $255.98 · 2024-09-13

NAG NABANITA C

Officer

$88,530

@ $249.38 · 2024-07-29

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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😐Neutral(47/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

NSC

😐Neutral(55/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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⚪Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (47)

NSC

⚪Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (55)

View MA Full Analysis View NSC Full Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions: MA vs NSC

Is Mastercard Incorporated or Norfolk Southern Corporation more undervalued in 2026?▼

Based on our discounted cash flow model, MA trades at a 14.2% margin of safety (intrinsic value $571 vs. price $490), compared to NSC's -12.0% margin of safety (intrinsic $268 vs. $300).

Which stock has a wider economic moat, Mastercard Incorporated or Norfolk Southern Corporation?▼

MA scores 99/100 (Wide moat), while NSC scores 71/100 (Wide moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.

Is Norfolk Southern Corporation in financial distress?▼

NSC's Altman Z-Score of 2.3 places it in the Grey zone, signaling elevated bankruptcy risk. MA scores 10.6 (Safe zone). The Altman Z-Score is a five-factor model that predicts insolvency within two years; scores below 1.81 indicate significant distress.

Which company has better free cash flow, Mastercard Incorporated or Norfolk Southern Corporation?▼

Mastercard Incorporated (MA) generates a 3.7% free cash flow yield, compared to Norfolk Southern Corporation's 3.2%. A higher FCF yield means the business converts more of its market value into cash that can be returned to shareholders or reinvested.

Which stock has higher return on invested capital, Mastercard Incorporated or Norfolk Southern Corporation?▼

MA earns 63.5% ROIC versus NSC's 9.3%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.

Which dividend is safer, Mastercard Incorporated's or Norfolk Southern Corporation's?▼

MA's dividend earns a safety score of 94/100 (Very Safe), compared to NSC's 88/100 (Very Safe). MA has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.