Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Robert W. Baird Analyst Says

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) had its price target hoisted by stock analysts at Robert W. Baird from $288.00 to $315.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Robert W. Baird’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 3.95% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the stock. Benchmark reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern from an “equal weight” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price target on Norfolk Southern from $317.00 to $300.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 30th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eighteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $308.95.

Norfolk Southern Stock Down 2.5%

NYSE:NSC opened at $303.02 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.85. The firm has a market cap of $68.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.77, a P/E/G ratio of 5.61 and a beta of 1.31. Norfolk Southern has a fifty-two week low of $201.63 and a fifty-two week high of $319.94. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $300.10 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $291.55.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.22 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.46. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 23.59% and a return on equity of 18.78%. The firm had revenue of $3 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Norfolk Southern will post 13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Norfolk Southern

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth $1,084,701,000. Pentwater Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern during the third quarter valued at about $826,128,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 545.2% during the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,306,203 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $392,396,000 after purchasing an additional 1,103,748 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the third quarter worth about $329,629,000. Finally, HBK Investments L P increased its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern by 67.7% in the fourth quarter. HBK Investments L P now owns 2,130,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $614,974,000 after purchasing an additional 860,000 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Company 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.