Citigroup Lowers Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Price Target to $300.00

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) had its target price lowered by Citigroup from $317.00 to $300.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Citigroup’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 3.19% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $321.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 24th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $285.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $301.00 to $296.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $298.00 to $299.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Norfolk Southern currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $303.53.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Shares of NSC stock traded up $0.55 on Friday, reaching $290.71. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 393,048 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,053,974. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $290.30 and its 200-day simple moving average is $285.47. Norfolk Southern has a 1 year low of $201.63 and a 1 year high of $302.24. The company has a market capitalization of $65.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.46. The company had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.03 billion. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 24.22% and a return on equity of 18.93%. Norfolk Southern’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.04 EPS. Analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern will post 13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Norfolk Southern news, Director William Jr. Clyburn acquired 204 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 5th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $294.79 per share, with a total value of $60,137.16. Following the transaction, the director owned 405 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $119,389.95. This trade represents a 101.49% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Anil Bhatt sold 900 shares of Norfolk Southern stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $281.60, for a total value of $253,440.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 1,413 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $397,900.80. This trade represents a 38.91% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Norfolk Southern

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. ORG Partners LLC raised its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 75.0% in the third quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 84 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 36 shares during the period. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern by 207.1% in the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 86 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas purchased a new stake in Norfolk Southern in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, GoalVest Advisory LLC boosted its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 933.3% in the fourth quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 93 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. 75.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Norfolk Southern

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

• Positive Sentiment: EPS beat and profitability — Norfolk Southern reported adjusted Q4 EPS above consensus (reported ~ $3.22 per share), driven by pricing and cost control that lifted net margin and ROE. This beat is a short‑term positive for EPS momentum and investor confidence. Norfolk Southern beats Q4 earnings estimates on productivity gains
• Positive Sentiment: Productivity savings and operating efficiency — Management highlighted more than $215M in annual productivity savings and an improved operating ratio (~68.5%), signaling successful cost actions that support margins even with softer top‑line. This underpins cash flow and buyback/dividend capacity. Norfolk Southern reports fourth quarter and full year 2025 results
• Neutral Sentiment: Management commentary — The earnings call/transcripts reiterate focus on safety, service and continued productivity programs while describing a volatile macro backdrop; useful context but no major guidance change announced. Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and volume weakness — Revenue of $3.0B missed consensus and was down year‑over‑year (~1.7% decline); management cited weaker volumes in a challenging macroeconomic environment, which caps upside and raises growth concerns. Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) misses Q4 CY2025 sales expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and positioning risks — Despite the beat, shares slipped on the mix (profitability vs. revenue), and the company remains exposed to volume cyclicality and macro uncertainty; investors should watch forward volume trends and any guidance updates. Norfolk Southern Profit, Revenue Falls

About Norfolk Southern

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.