Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Has $449.73 Million Stock Holdings in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 13.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,916,261 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 230,225 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned about 0.85% of Norfolk Southern worth $449,730,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth about $547,575,000. Boston Partners boosted its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern by 16.9% during the fourth quarter. Boston Partners now owns 4,020,392 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $945,385,000 after acquiring an additional 580,293 shares during the period. Amundi increased its stake in shares of Norfolk Southern by 56.4% during the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 1,302,635 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $308,607,000 after purchasing an additional 469,558 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $105,225,000. Finally, FMR LLC boosted its stake in Norfolk Southern by 13.8% in the 4th quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,073,933 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $721,452,000 after purchasing an additional 371,589 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 2.8 %

NSC stock opened at $219.99 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $54.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $233.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $245.73. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 12 month low of $201.63 and a 12 month high of $277.60.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.07. Norfolk Southern had a net margin of 21.63% and a return on equity of 20.04%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were issued a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.45%. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is presently 46.71%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Norfolk Southern

In other Norfolk Southern news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere purchased 607 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $259.86 per share, for a total transaction of $157,735.02. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,487 shares in the company, valued at $646,271.82. The trade was a 32.29 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $265.00 to $247.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 14th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $300.00 to $290.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $268.79.

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.