UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC Buys 84,953 Shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Key Points

• UBS Asset Management increased its stake in Norfolk Southern Corporation by 7.0% in Q1, owning a total of 1,295,460 shares valued at $306.83 million.
• Notable institutional investors, including Empowered Funds LLC and Ascent Group LLC, have also raised their stakes in Norfolk Southern during the same period.
• Norfolk Southern reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $3.29 for the quarter, exceeding estimates, and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.35.

UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 7.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,295,460 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 84,953 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC owned 0.57% of Norfolk Southern worth $306,830,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 31.5% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 11,319,010 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,680,910,000 after acquiring an additional 2,710,930 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 25,555.7% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 989,796 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $234,433,000 after purchasing an additional 985,938 shares during the last quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. raised its stake in shares of Norfolk Southern by 341.9% during the 1st quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 789,950 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $187,100,000 after purchasing an additional 611,198 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $122,256,000. Finally, Phoenix Financial Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the first quarter valued at $110,209,000. 75.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Norfolk Southern stock traded up $0.90 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $274.90. 2,243,787 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,923,360. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $276.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of $250.29. The company has a market cap of $61.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a twelve month low of $201.63 and a twelve month high of $291.69.

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

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 1st were paid a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 1st. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Norfolk Southern's payout ratio is currently 36.49%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on NSC. 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 research report on Monday, July 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $278.00 target price on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Monday, June 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded Norfolk Southern from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 29th. Evercore ISI restated an "in-line" rating and issued a $289.00 price objective (up previously from $279.00) on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Bank of America lifted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $290.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 17th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $285.15.

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.