Markel Group Inc. Acquires 9,000 Shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Markel Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 3.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 282,500 shares of the railroad operator's stock after acquiring an additional 9,000 shares during the period. Markel Group Inc. owned 0.13% of Norfolk Southern worth $81,078,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in NSC. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC boosted its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 933.3% in the fourth quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 93 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in Norfolk Southern by 239.3% during the fourth quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 95 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, FNY Investment Advisers LLC increased its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 669.2% during the 3rd quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 100 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares during the period. 75.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

NSC stock traded up $3.83 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $327.60. The company had a trading volume of 636,072 shares, compared to its average volume of 981,612. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a 1 year low of $257.49 and a 1 year high of $328.58. The company has a market capitalization of $73.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.60, a P/E/G ratio of 6.03 and a beta of 1.27. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $313.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $303.01.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.16. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 21.91% and a return on equity of 18.30%. The firm had revenue of $3 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.69 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 12.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 8th were given a dividend of $1.35 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 8th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.6%. Norfolk Southern's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.49%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on NSC shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $335.00 to $351.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $308.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $322.00 to $313.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Stephens upgraded Norfolk Southern to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seventeen have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Norfolk Southern presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $326.72.

Key Norfolk Southern News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird raised its price target on Norfolk Southern from $330 to $360, signaling more upside potential even though the firm kept a neutral rating. Benzinga report
• Positive Sentiment: Stephens upgraded Norfolk Southern to hold, a modestly more favorable stance that can support sentiment around the stock. Tickerreport.com article
• Neutral Sentiment: A Globe and Mail roundup noted that analyst views on Norfolk Southern are mixed, reinforcing that investors are balancing optimism on valuation with caution on near-term fundamentals. The Globe and Mail article
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan lowered its price target from $331 to $316 and kept a neutral rating, suggesting limited upside from current levels and some pressure on sentiment. Benzinga report
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity showed a surge in put buying, which can indicate that some traders are positioning for downside or hedging against short-term weakness. Options trading report

Norfolk Southern 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.

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