Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Price Target Raised to $379.00

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) had its target price lifted by TD Cowen from $376.00 to $379.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. TD Cowen currently has a buy rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, October 9th. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $360.00 to $377.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Susquehanna decreased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $386.00 to $350.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $360.00 to $330.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Finally, Benchmark reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Friday, July 24th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $348.81.

Norfolk Southern Stock Down 0.0%

NYSE NSC opened at $329.85 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $326.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $320.87. The company has a market capitalization of $74.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.65, a PEG ratio of 4.91 and a beta of 1.29. Norfolk Southern has a 1-year low of $277.80 and a 1-year high of $358.60.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The railroad operator reported $3.62 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.46 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $3.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.48 billion. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 20.70% and a return on equity of 18.22%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.30 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 6th will be paid a dividend of $1.35 per share. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 6th. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio is 45.26%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Norfolk Southern

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NSC. Apollon Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of Norfolk Southern by 4.3% in the first quarter. Apollon Financial LLC now owns 881 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $253,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Norfolk Southern by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 827 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $237,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in Norfolk Southern by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,824 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $917,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Norfolk Southern by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 952 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $273,000 after buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Foster Group Inc. grew its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. Foster Group Inc. now owns 1,405 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $442,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter results exceeded expectations: reported EPS was approximately $3.62 versus the $3.46 analyst consensus, while revenue reached $3.53 billion versus expectations of $3.48 billion. Earnings also improved from $3.30 per share a year earlier. Reuters earnings article
• Positive Sentiment: Higher freight volumes, fuel surcharges and tighter trucking capacity supported rail demand and helped Norfolk Southern produce record railway operating revenue. Zacks earnings analysis
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target from $376 to $379 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying meaningful upside based on the referenced share price. Norfolk Southern revenue announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Norfolk Southern declared a quarterly dividend of $1.35 per share, payable November 20 to shareholders of record November 6. The annualized payout is $5.40, or roughly a 1.6% yield. Dividend announcement
• Negative Sentiment: High fuel and other operating costs pressured efficiency and margins. Management lifted its 2026 operating-expense outlook to slightly above $9 billion, while capital spending is expected to be approximately $2.1 billion. Norfolk Southern expense outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst views were mixed: JPMorgan raised its target from $318 to $323 but retained a “neutral” rating, while Stephens cut its target from $377 to $354, reinforcing concerns about valuation and cost execution. Stephens price target report

About Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) is a transportation company that operates one of the largest freight railroad networks in the eastern United States. Through its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary, the company provides rail transportation and related services across a broad territory spanning portions of the Midwest, South and East Coast, including access to major industrial centers, ports and distribution markets.

Norfolk Southern transports a diverse range of commodities, including intermodal freight, merchandise, automotive products, coal and other energy-related materials.