Trexquant Investment LP Sells 32,668 Shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Key Points

• Trexquant Investment LP reduced its holdings in Norfolk Southern Corporation by 55.4%, selling 32,668 shares and now owning 26,303 shares worth approximately $6.23 million.
• Norfolk Southern reported earnings per share of $3.29 for the last quarter, exceeding the consensus estimate of $3.24, with revenues of $3.11 billion.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $1.35, translating to an annualized dividend of $5.40 and a yield of 1.9%, with a dividend payout ratio of 36.49%.

Trexquant Investment LP decreased its position in shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 55.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 26,303 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 32,668 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP's holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $6,230,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Putney Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Greenline Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. HWG Holdings LP bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 129.2% in the 1st quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 149 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on NSC. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Norfolk Southern from $255.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "hold" rating and issued a $300.00 price target on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Friday, July 25th. Baird R W upgraded Norfolk Southern to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 1st. Susquehanna restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $260.00 price objective (up previously from $250.00) on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Tuesday, June 24th. Finally, TD Cowen upgraded Norfolk Southern from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price objective for the company from $263.00 to $323.00 in a report on Monday, July 21st. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $285.15.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Shares of NYSE NSC traded down $2.23 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $277.53. 1,302,006 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,896,946. The stock has a market cap of $62.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.75, a PEG ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 1.29. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $274.85 and its 200-day moving average price is $249.36. 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 Corporation has a one year low of $201.63 and a one year high of $291.69.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.24 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $3.11 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.10 billion. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 27.51% and a return on equity of 19.35%. Norfolk Southern has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

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