Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP) vs Norfolk Southern (NSC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP) has outperformed Norfolk Southern (NSC) over the past year, gaining 8.1% versus a gain of 6.3%. Over five years, CP leads with a +14.8% price change compared with +14.1% for NSC. Canadian Pacific Kansas City is the larger company by market cap ($73.52 billion vs $70.35 billion), about 1.0 times the size.
On valuation, Canadian Pacific Kansas City trades at a lower forward P/E (19.9x vs 21.9x for Norfolk Southern). Norfolk Southern offers the higher dividend yield (1.72% vs 1.14%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CP | NSC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $83.63 | $313.20 |
| Market cap | $73.52B | $70.35B |
| 1-day change | -2.11% | -0.98% |
| YTD return | +14.07% | +8.91% |
| 1-year return | +8.05% | +6.28% |
| 5-year return | +14.80% | +14.10% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 26.89 | 26.72 |
| Forward P/E | 19.87 | 21.94 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.11 | $11.72 |
| Dividend yield | 1.14% | 1.72% |
| Annual dividend | $0.952 | $5.40 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $12.18B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +0.47% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $2.87B |
| Operating margin | — | 35.76% |
| Net margin | — | 23.59% |
| 52-week high | $96.90 | $358.60 |
| 52-week low | $68.42 | $277.80 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -13.69% | -12.66% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +17.69% | +14.66% |
| Average volume | 2.41M | 1.12M |
| Shares outstanding | 879.08M | 224.61M |
| Employees | 19,687 | 19,300 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Railroads | Railroads |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
About Canadian Pacific Kansas City
CP stock →Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; merchandise freight consists of industrial and consumer products, such as forest products, energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals, consumer products, and automotive; and intermodal traffic comprising retail goods in overseas containers.
Industrials · Railroads · 19,687 employees
About Norfolk Southern
NSC stock →Norfolk Southern Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods in the United States. The company transports agriculture, forest, and consumer products comprising soybeans, wheat, corn, fertilizers, livestock and poultry feed, food products, food oils, flour, sweeteners, ethanol, lumber and wood products, pulp board and paper products, wood fibers, wood pulp, beverages, and canned goods; chemicals, including sulfur and related chemicals, petroleum products comprising crude oil, chlorine and bleaching compounds, plastics, rubber, industrial chemicals, chemical wastes, sand, and natural gas liquids; metals and construction materials, such as steel, aluminum products, machinery, scrap metals, cement, aggregates, minerals, clay, transportation equipment, and military-related products; and automotive, including finished motor vehicles and automotive parts, as well as coal.
Industrials · Railroads · 19,300 employees
CP vs NSC FAQ
Which is bigger, Canadian Pacific Kansas City or Norfolk Southern?
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP) is larger, with a market capitalization of $73.52B compared with $70.35B for Norfolk Southern (NSC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CP or NSC?
CP returned +8.05% over the past 12 months, compared with +6.28% for NSC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CP or NSC?
NSC has the lower trailing P/E at 26.7, versus 26.9 for CP. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Canadian Pacific Kansas City or Norfolk Southern?
Norfolk Southern has the higher yield at 1.72%, compared with 1.14% for Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
Are Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Norfolk Southern in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Railroads industry within the Industrials sector.