Eliot Finkel Investment Counsel LLC Reduces Holdings in Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Eliot Finkel Investment Counsel LLC lowered its stake in Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) by 1.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 32,510 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 500 shares during the period. Norfolk Southern makes up 5.4% of Eliot Finkel Investment Counsel LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest holding. Eliot Finkel Investment Counsel LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $8,322,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. HWG Holdings LP acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 1st quarter valued at about $35,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Norfolk Southern by 129.2% in the 1st quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 149 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 1st quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Norfolk Southern by 883.3% in the 1st quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 177 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Performance

NYSE NSC opened at $300.02 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $67.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.33. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $282.63 and its 200 day simple moving average is $255.94. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a 1 year low of $201.63 and a 1 year high of $302.24.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.24 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $3.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.10 billion. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 27.51% and a return on equity of 19.35%. Norfolk Southern has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 20th. Investors of record on Friday, August 1st were given a dividend of $1.35 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 1st. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.49%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on NSC shares. Baird R W upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Evercore ISI increased their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $289.00 to $298.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $295.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Saturday, September 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a “neutral” rating and set a $288.00 target price (up previously from $282.00) on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $292.50.

About Norfolk Southern

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 consist of 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.