Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Given New $330.00 Price Target at Robert W. Baird

Key Points

• Robert W. Baird raised its price target on Norfolk Southern to $330 from $315 while keeping a neutral rating, implying only about a 3.5% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed—seven Buys vs. sixteen Holds—with a consensus price target of $320.28, and the stock trading around $318.84 (one‑year range $218.05–$323.37), near the consensus target.
• Norfolk Southern beat EPS estimates in the latest quarter ($2.65 vs. $2.49) but missed revenue expectations ($3.0B vs. $3.13B); institutional ownership is high (75.1%) with recent large stakes added by firms like Norges Bank.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by investment analysts at Robert W. Baird from $315.00 to $330.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "neutral" rating on the railroad operator's stock. Robert W. Baird's price objective indicates a potential upside of 3.50% from the stock's previous close.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Rothschild & Co Redburn decreased their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $317.00 to $308.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $296.00 to $292.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Norfolk Southern from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $350.00 to $310.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 6th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Norfolk Southern has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $320.28.

Norfolk Southern Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NYSE:NSC opened at $318.84 on Tuesday. Norfolk Southern has a one year low of $218.05 and a one year high of $323.37. The company has a 50 day moving average of $299.68 and a 200-day moving average of $293.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The stock has a market cap of $78.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.86, a P/E/G ratio of 5.91 and a beta of 1.31.

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 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 company had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.69 EPS. Norfolk Southern's revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern will post 12.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Norfolk Southern

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NSC. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth $1,084,701,000. Pentwater Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the third quarter valued at about $826,128,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 545.2% during the 3rd 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 worth $392,396,000 after purchasing an additional 1,103,748 shares during the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 3rd quarter valued at $329,629,000. Finally, HBK Investments L P grew its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 67.7% in the 4th 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 in the last quarter. 75.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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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