Gries Financial LLC Decreases Stake in Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Gries Financial LLC lessened its stake in Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) by 5.3% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 1,266 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 71 shares during the quarter. Gries Financial LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $324,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern in the first quarter valued at about $27,000. HWG Holdings LP purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 129.2% during the first quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 149 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the first quarter worth $41,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Norfolk Southern by 883.3% in the first quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 177 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 0.5%

NSC opened at $292.04 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The firm has a market cap of $65.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.73, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.29. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a 52 week low of $201.63 and a 52 week high of $294.78. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $279.11 and its 200 day simple moving average is $252.36.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.29 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.24 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $3.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.10 billion. Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 19.35% and a net margin of 27.51%. Norfolk Southern has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 1st were paid a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 1st. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.49%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

NSC has been the subject of several research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded Norfolk Southern from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 29th. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 30th. Susquehanna reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $260.00 price target (up from $250.00) on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Tuesday, June 24th. Baird R W raised shares of Norfolk Southern to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $288.00 target price (up previously from $282.00) on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $286.25.

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.