Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Given New $260.00 Price Target at Susquehanna

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by research analysts at Susquehanna from $250.00 to $260.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "neutral" rating on the railroad operator's stock. Susquehanna's price target indicates a potential upside of 0.90% from the company's current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. UBS Group increased their target price on Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 30th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $267.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 16th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a "market perform" rating and set a $255.00 target price on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $298.00 to $259.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $290.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $267.71.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:NSC traded up $1.10 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $257.68. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,193,332 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,238,659. The company has a market capitalization of $58.09 billion, a PE ratio of 17.60, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.32. Norfolk Southern has a fifty-two week low of $201.63 and a fifty-two week high of $277.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $237.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $238.97.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.72 by ($0.03). Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 19.65% and a net margin of 27.40%. The company had revenue of $2.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.01 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.49 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Norfolk Southern will post 13 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Norfolk Southern

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern during the first quarter valued at $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Atlantic Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Putney Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. 75.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.