GTS Securities LLC Sells 14,099 Shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

GTS Securities LLC decreased its position in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 93.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,048 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 14,099 shares during the quarter. GTS Securities LLC's holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $246,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC bought a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. BMO Capital Markets restated a "market perform" rating and issued a $255.00 price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $267.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $250.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $265.00 to $247.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Norfolk Southern has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $267.24.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Shares of Norfolk Southern stock traded down $1.77 during trading on Monday, hitting $245.35. 1,182,965 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,220,767. Norfolk Southern Co. has a twelve month low of $201.63 and a twelve month high of $277.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The company has a market cap of $55.31 billion, a PE ratio of 21.22, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $228.16 and its 200 day moving average price is $240.92.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.72 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $2.99 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.01 billion. Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 21.63%. The company's quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.49 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 2nd were issued a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 2nd. Norfolk Southern's payout ratio is 36.89%.

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.