USS Investment Management Ltd Trims Stock Holdings in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

USS Investment Management Ltd lowered its position in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) by 12.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 50,503 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 7,410 shares during the quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd's holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $11,864,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of NSC. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Atlantic Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company's stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 0.2%

NSC stock opened at $244.23 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $55.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.13, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.90. The business's 50-day moving average is $226.79 and its two-hundred day moving average is $242.38. Norfolk Southern Co. has a fifty-two week low of $201.63 and a fifty-two week high of $277.60.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.72 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $2.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.01 billion. Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 21.63%. Norfolk Southern's revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.49 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 2nd were given a dividend of $1.35 per share. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.21%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 2nd. Norfolk Southern's payout ratio is 36.89%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NSC has been the topic of several analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Norfolk Southern in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $293.00 target price on the stock. Evercore ISI reduced their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $269.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $275.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Loop Capital cut shares of Norfolk Southern from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and cut their price target for the company from $289.00 to $256.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Stephens boosted their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $266.50.

Norfolk Southern Company 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.

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