Curat Global LLC Invests $214,000 in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Curat Global LLC bought a new position in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 905 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $214,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Keystone Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Atlantic Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of Norfolk Southern stock opened at $246.68 on Friday. 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 business’s 50 day simple moving average is $229.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is $240.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.34, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.32. Norfolk Southern Co. has a twelve month low of $201.63 and a twelve month high of $277.60.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.72 by ($0.03). Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 21.63%. The company had revenue of $2.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.01 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.49 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 20th. Investors of record on Friday, May 2nd were given a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 2nd. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.89%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently commented on NSC. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Norfolk Southern in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $293.00 price target for the company. Barclays reduced their price target on Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $290.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $278.00 price target on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Monday. UBS Group increased their target price on Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 30th. Finally, Evercore ISI reduced their target price on Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $269.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $267.24.

Norfolk Southern 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.