UBS Group Increases Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Price Target to $279.00

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) had its price objective upped by equities research analysts at UBS Group from $275.00 to $279.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a "buy" rating on the railroad operator's stock. UBS Group's price target would suggest a potential upside of 12.91% from the stock's current price.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on Norfolk Southern from $265.00 to $247.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 14th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on Norfolk Southern from $271.00 to $270.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Bank of America raised their price target on Norfolk Southern from $267.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on Norfolk Southern from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $266.70.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Shares of NYSE NSC traded up $0.81 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $247.11. 2,785,760 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,220,927. The firm has a market cap of $55.71 billion, a PE ratio of 21.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30. 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 1.16, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $228.16 and a 200-day simple moving average of $241.08.

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

Institutional Trading of Norfolk Southern

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the first quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Vision Financial Markets LLC purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.10% of the company's stock.

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.