Kestra Advisory Services LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Key Points

• Kestra Advisory Services LLC reduced its stake in Norfolk Southern Corporation by 7.8% in Q1, owning 18,665 shares valued at approximately $4.42 million.
• Several institutional investors significantly increased their holdings, including Price T Rowe Associates Inc. and GAMMA Investing LLC, with the latter growing its position by a staggering 25,555.7%.
• Analysts have generally positive views, with UBS Group and others raising their price targets for Norfolk Southern, indicating a consensus target price of $285.15 for the stock.

Kestra Advisory Services LLC decreased its position in shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 7.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,665 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 1,582 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC's holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $4,421,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC bought a new position in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Putney Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. Greenline Partners LLC bought a new position in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. HWG Holdings LP bought a new position in Norfolk Southern during the first quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its position in Norfolk Southern by 129.2% during the first quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 149 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

NSC has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $288.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $278.00 price target on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $290.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, July 17th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $295.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 21st. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $285.15.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 0.7%

NYSE:NSC traded up $2.08 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $279.88. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,543,066 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,129,127. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a 1 year low of $201.63 and a 1 year high of $291.69. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $273.07 and a 200-day moving average of $248.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $62.87 billion, a PE ratio of 18.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.24 by $0.05. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 27.51% and a return on equity of 19.35%. The company had revenue of $3.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.10 billion. Norfolk Southern has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 20th. Investors of record on Friday, August 1st were paid a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 1st. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. Norfolk Southern's dividend payout ratio is 36.49%.

Norfolk Southern Profile

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.