Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Price Target Increased to $244.00 by Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) had its price target hoisted by Stifel Nicolaus from $233.00 to $244.00 in a report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a hold rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Citigroup increased their target price on Norfolk Southern from $253.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $252.00 to $283.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, March 21st. Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $270.00 to $265.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Benchmark lifted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $250.00 to $277.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Finally, UBS Group raised Norfolk Southern from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $238.00 to $302.00 in a research report on Monday, March 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $262.33.

Norfolk Southern Stock Performance

NYSE:NSC opened at $245.57 on Friday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $253.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $230.00. Norfolk Southern has a 1-year low of $183.09 and a 1-year high of $263.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $60.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.62, a PEG ratio of 3.33 and a beta of 1.30.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 26th. The railroad operator reported $2.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $3.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.09 billion. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 15.03% and a return on equity of 21.06%. Norfolk Southern’s revenue was down 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.42 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern will post 12 EPS for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 2nd were paid a dividend of $1.35 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 1st. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 67.33%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Provence Wealth Management Group purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its position in Norfolk Southern by 662.5% during the fourth quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 122 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the first quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. 75.10% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.