Norfolk SouthernMEX:NSC 84 Pretax Margin % is 23.85% as of Mar. 2026, which is 20% below its 10-year median of 29.87. GuruFocus rates MEX:NSC with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of MXN4,332.49. The stock has 10 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,005 Transportation companies, Norfolk Southern ranks better than 87.36% on this metric.
The pretax margin, as know as pretax profit margin, is widely used to measure the operating efficiency of a company before deducting taxes.
The pretax margin is sometimes preferred over the net margin as tax expenditures can make profitability comparisons between companies misleading.
It is a useful tool to compare companies operating in the same sector and less effective when comparing companies from other sectors as each industry generally has different operating expenses and sales patterns.
The long term trend of the pretax margin is a good indicator of the competitiveness and health of the business.
Norfolk Southern Pretax Margin % Related Terms
Norfolk Southern Pretax Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
MEX:NSC vs CSX, WAB, TRN: Pretax Margin % Comparison
For the Railroads subindustry, Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Pretax Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Norfolk Southern Pretax Margin % vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Norfolk Southern (MEX:NSC) has a Pretax Margin % of 23.85% as of Mar. 2026. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Norfolk Southern and its competitors. This is 20% below median its historical median of 29.87. Over the past decade, Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin % has ranged from 19.09 to 34.81. According to the industry distribution chart, Norfolk Southern ranks #127 out of 1005 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 12.6%.
Is Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin % too high?
Norfolk Southern's current Pretax Margin % of 23.85% is 20% below median its 10-year median of 29.87. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 19.09 to a high of 34.81. The Transportation industry median Pretax Margin % is 6.75. Norfolk Southern's value of 23.85% is 253.3% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Norfolk Southern ranks #127 out of 1005 companies in the Transportation industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Norfolk Southern has a GF Score™ of 84/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Norfolk Southern's Pretax Margin % compare to CSX and WAB?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Norfolk Southern ranks #127 out of 1005 companies for Pretax Margin %. This places Norfolk Southern in the top 13% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 6.75. Norfolk Southern's value of 23.85% is 253.3% above this benchmark. Historically, Norfolk Southern's own Pretax Margin % has ranged from 19.09 to 34.81 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 29.87 vs. the industry median of 6.75, Norfolk Southern has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Pretax Margin % for a Transportation company?
The median Pretax Margin % among Transportation companies is 6.75, based on 1,005 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Pretax Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Pretax Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Norfolk Southern's current Pretax Margin % of 23.85% is 253.3% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Pretax Margin % mean?
A high Pretax Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Norfolk Southern and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 6.75 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Norfolk Southern's current Pretax Margin % is 23.85%, which is 20% below median its own 10-year median of 29.87. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Norfolk Southern stock overvalued right now?
Norfolk Southern (MEX:NSC) has a current Pretax Margin % of 23.85%. The stock's GF Value™ is MXN4,332.49, compared to a current price of MXN5,332.88 — trading 23.1% above its estimated fair value. The current Pretax Margin % is 23.85%, which is 20% below median its 10-year median of 29.87 and 253.3% above the Transportation industry median of 6.75. Norfolk Southern's overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 10 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Pretax Margin % calculated?
Pretax Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Norfolk Southern (MEX:NSC), the current Pretax Margin % is 23.85% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Norfolk Southern (MEX:NSC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Norfolk Southern stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of MXN5,332.88 is trading 23.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of MXN4,332.49.
Key valuation signals for MEX:NSC:
Pretax Margin %: 23.85% (20% below median its 10-year median of 29.87)
GF Value™: MXN4,332.49 vs. price of MXN5,332.88 (23.1% above fair value)
Industry Position: 253.3% above the Transportation median (#127 of 1005)
No single metric tells the full story. See the MEX:NSC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Class I railroad Norfolk Southern operates in the Eastern United States. On more than 20,000 miles of track, the rail hauls shipments of coal, intermodal traffic, and a diverse mix of automotive, agricultural, metal, chemical, and forest products.
84GF Score
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