Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC Decreases Position in Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Key Points

• Sequoia Financial Advisors cut its Norfolk Southern stake by 80.1% in the first quarter, selling 62,391 shares and leaving it with 15,524 shares worth about $4.46 million.
• Norfolk Southern beat earnings expectations in its latest quarter, reporting $2.65 EPS versus estimates of $2.49, though revenue came in below forecasts at $3.0 billion.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: several firms adjusted price targets, but the overall consensus is still Hold with an average target price of about $326.72, while unusual put buying suggests some downside caution.

Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lowered its position in shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 80.1% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 15,524 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 62,391 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC's holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $4,455,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at $1,084,701,000. Pentwater Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the third quarter worth $826,128,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings 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. purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the third quarter valued at $329,629,000. Finally, HBK Investments L P boosted its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 67.7% during the fourth quarter. HBK Investments L P now owns 2,130,000 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $614,974,000 after buying an additional 860,000 shares during the last quarter. 75.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Norfolk Southern

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 Price Performance

Shares of Norfolk Southern stock opened at $327.60 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $73.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.60, a P/E/G ratio of 6.02 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.91. The stock's fifty day moving average is $313.03 and its 200 day moving average is $303.09. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a one year low of $257.49 and a one year high of $328.58.

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

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 20th. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th were issued a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 8th. Norfolk Southern's dividend payout ratio is currently 45.49%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on NSC. Weiss Ratings lowered Norfolk Southern from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. UBS Group set a $327.00 price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $360.00 to $320.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Barclays raised their price target on Norfolk Southern from $320.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Evercore set a $325.00 price objective on Norfolk Southern in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seventeen have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $326.72.

About Norfolk Southern

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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