📈 Net Income History (16 Quarters)
🧮 NSC Net Income Breakdown
Understanding Net Income
Net income, also called the "bottom line" or net profit, is the money a company keeps after paying all expenses including cost of goods, operating costs, interest, and taxes. For NSC, the trailing twelve month net income is $2.6B.
Why Net Income Matters
Net income is the ultimate measure of accounting profitability. It determines earnings per share (EPS), affects stock valuations through the P/E ratio, and represents the theoretical amount available to shareholders. However, net income can be influenced by accounting choices, which is why value investors often look at cash flow metrics alongside it.
NSC's net income growth rate of 8.84% (based on log-linear regression of 16 quarters) indicates modest positive profit growth.
Net Income vs Cash Flow Metrics
Free Cash Flow: $1.6B →
Actual cash generated after capital expenditures. FCF often differs from net income due to depreciation, working capital changes, and capex timing.
Owner Earnings: $2.4B →
Buffett's preferred metric that adds back depreciation but subtracts maintenance capex. Often considered more accurate than net income.
EPS (Diluted): $11.72 →
Net income divided by diluted shares outstanding. The primary driver of the P/E ratio used in valuations.
Revenue: $12.5B →
The top line that net income is derived from. Net margin shows what percentage of revenue becomes profit.
P/E Ratio Analysis
NSC's P/E ratio of 29.7x means investors pay $29.69 for every $1 of annual earnings. A P/E between 25-40 suggests investors expect above-average earnings growth.
Net Margin: Profitability Efficiency
Net margin of 21.02% shows what percentage of NSC's revenue converts to profit after all costs. Net margins above 20% are excellent and indicate strong pricing power or asset-light business models.
Summary: NSC Net Income Trend
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP (NSC) has a net margin of 21.02%, which Zyberno classifies as excellent for a Industrials company — above the 10% threshold Zyberno applies to industrial businesses where capital intensity and operating costs moderate net margins. Net income grew at 8.84% annually — positive but below the 10% level Zyberno considers strong growth. For complete financial analysis, view the full NSC stock report on Zyberno.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NSC's current net income?
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP's TTM net income is $2.6B, growing at 8.84% annually — positive but below the 10% level Zyberno considers strong growth.
Is NSC's net income growing?
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP (NSC) has a net margin of 21.02%, which Zyberno classifies as excellent for a Industrials company — above the 10% threshold Zyberno applies to industrial businesses where capital intensity and operating costs moderate net margins. Net income grew at 8.84% annually — positive but below the 10% level Zyberno considers strong growth.
What is NSC's net profit margin?
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP (NSC) has a net margin of 21.02%, which Zyberno classifies as excellent for a Industrials company — above the 10% threshold Zyberno applies to industrial businesses where capital intensity and operating costs moderate net margins. Net income grew at 8.84% annually — positive but below the 10% level Zyberno considers strong growth.
What is NSC's P/E ratio?
NSC's P/E ratio is 29.7x, meaning the market values the company at 29.7 times its annual earnings.
How does net income differ from free cash flow?
Net income is an accounting measure that includes non-cash items like depreciation, while free cash flow shows actual cash generated. NSC's net income is $2.6B versus free cash flow of $1.6B. Large differences often indicate significant capital expenditures or working capital changes.
📊 Full NSC Stock Report →
See NSC's intrinsic value, margin of safety, DCF valuation, and complete financial analysis with 250+ metrics.
💵 NSC Free Cash Flow →
Compare to Free Cash Flow which subtracts all capital expenditures, not just maintenance CapEx.
💰 NSC Owner Earnings →
Compare to Buffett's Owner Earnings metric which uses maintenance CapEx instead of total capital expenditures.
📈 NSC Earnings Per Share →
Analyze EPS trends, P/E ratio, earnings yield, and per-share profitability metrics.
🎯 NSC Earnings Surprise (SUE) →
See whether NSC is beating or missing its own earnings trend — Standardized Unexpected Earnings and post-earnings drift.
📊 NSC Revenue →
Analyze revenue trends, growth rate, P/S ratio, and top-line sales performance.
💰 NSC Net Income →
Analyze the bottom-line profit, P/E ratio, and net profit margin trends.
🔶 NSC Operating Income →
Analyze EBIT, operating margin, and core business profitability before interest and taxes.
💜 NSC Gross Profit →
Analyze gross margin, pricing power, and profitability before operating expenses.