Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Sanford C. Bernstein Analyst Says

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by Sanford C. Bernstein from $258.00 to $295.00 in a report released on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the railroad operator's stock.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on NSC. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $269.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $265.00 to $247.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 14th. UBS Group increased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $272.00 to $282.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on Norfolk Southern from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 9th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $273.80.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Shares of NSC traded up $3.68 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $263.72. 38,727 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,287,784. The company has a market cap of $59.45 billion, a PE ratio of 17.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.31. Norfolk Southern has a 52-week low of $201.63 and a 52-week high of $277.60. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $246.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $240.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a current ratio of 0.78.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.72 by ($0.03). Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 19.65% and a net margin of 27.40%. The firm had revenue of $2.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.01 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.49 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Norfolk Southern will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 2nd were given a dividend of $1.35 per share. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.05%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 2nd. Norfolk Southern's dividend payout ratio is presently 36.89%.

Institutional Trading of Norfolk Southern

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NSC. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Atlantic Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Putney Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Greenline Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.10% of the company's stock.

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.