Carnegie Investment Counsel Raises Stock Holdings in Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Carnegie Investment Counsel raised its position in Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) by 5.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 125,768 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,807 shares during the period. Carnegie Investment Counsel’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $34,159,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of NSC. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Norfolk Southern in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. BNP Paribas purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC increased its stake in Norfolk Southern by 933.3% during the fourth quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 93 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern by 239.3% during the 4th quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 95 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Finally, FNY Investment Advisers LLC lifted its position in Norfolk Southern by 669.2% during the third quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 1.2%

NSC traded up $3.83 during trading on Friday, hitting $327.60. The company had a trading volume of 636,072 shares, compared to its average volume of 981,612. The company has a market cap of $73.58 billion, a PE ratio of 27.60, a P/E/G ratio of 6.03 and a beta of 1.27. The business has a 50-day moving average of $313.03 and a 200-day moving average of $303.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a 1-year low of $257.49 and a 1-year high of $328.58.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.13 billion. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 21.91% and a return on equity of 18.30%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.69 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 12.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 20th. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th were issued a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 8th. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is currently 45.49%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Barclays upped their target price on Norfolk Southern from $320.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $331.00 to $316.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Stephens raised shares of Norfolk Southern to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $360.00 to $320.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seventeen have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $326.72.

Norfolk Southern News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Norfolk Southern this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird raised its price target on Norfolk Southern from $330 to $360, signaling more upside potential even though the firm kept a neutral rating. Benzinga report
• Positive Sentiment: Stephens upgraded Norfolk Southern to hold, a modestly more favorable stance that can support sentiment around the stock. Tickerreport.com article
• Neutral Sentiment: A Globe and Mail roundup noted that analyst views on Norfolk Southern are mixed, reinforcing that investors are balancing optimism on valuation with caution on near-term fundamentals. The Globe and Mail article
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan lowered its price target from $331 to $316 and kept a neutral rating, suggesting limited upside from current levels and some pressure on sentiment. Benzinga report
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity showed a surge in put buying, which can indicate that some traders are positioning for downside or hedging against short-term weakness. Options trading report

Norfolk Southern Profile

Norfolk Southern Corporation is a major U.S. freight railroad company that provides rail transportation and related logistics services. As a Class I carrier, the company operates an extensive network across the eastern United States and offers scheduled freight service for a broad range of industries. Its core operations include long-haul and regional rail freight transportation, intermodal services that move containers and trailers between rail and other modes, and terminal and switching services that support efficient rail shipments for industrial and port customers.

The company transports a variety of commodities, serving sectors such as coal and energy, automotive and automotive parts, chemicals, agriculture, metals and construction materials, and consumer goods.