Gabelli Funds LLC Has $15.74 Million Holdings in Norfolk Southern Corporation $NSC

Gabelli Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) by 7.3% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 54,862 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,750 shares during the quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $15,745,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. GABELLI & Co INVESTMENT ADVISERS INC. raised its position in shares of Norfolk Southern by 3.0% in the first quarter. GABELLI & Co INVESTMENT ADVISERS INC. now owns 52,120 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $14,958,000 after buying an additional 1,500 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its position in Norfolk Southern by 0.5% during the first quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 91,164 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $26,164,000 after buying an additional 470 shares in the last quarter. PSquared Asset Management AG grew its position in Norfolk Southern by 4.7% during the first quarter. PSquared Asset Management AG now owns 96,385 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,662,000 after buying an additional 4,322 shares in the last quarter. Compound Planning Inc. increased its stake in Norfolk Southern by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 3,097 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $889,000 after acquiring an additional 209 shares during the period. Finally, Modern Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Norfolk Southern by 6.4% during the 1st quarter. Modern Wealth Management LLC now owns 950 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $272,000 after acquiring an additional 57 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Norfolk Southern News

Here are the key news stories impacting Norfolk Southern this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Norfolk Southern beat Q2 expectations, posting $3.52 in EPS and revenue above estimates, with revenue up 12.5% year over year and record quarterly sales. Reuters article
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $385 and reiterated an overweight rating, signaling confidence that the stock still has room to run. Benzinga article
• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup lifted its target to $376, reflecting a more constructive view after the earnings release, even though it kept a neutral rating. Benzinga article
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its target to $338 but maintained a neutral rating, suggesting valuation looks less compelling after the recent move higher. Benzinga article
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary noted lower profitability and margin pressure despite the revenue beat, which may temper enthusiasm if cost pressures persist. Seeking Alpha article
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability was held back by higher fuel costs and lower efficiency, showing that cost inflation remains a headwind even as demand improves. TipRanks article

Norfolk Southern Trading Up 0.9%

Shares of NSC opened at $351.69 on Friday. Norfolk Southern Corporation has a 52-week low of $268.23 and a 52-week high of $358.60. The business’s fifty day moving average is $317.37 and its 200-day moving average is $306.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.83. The firm has a market cap of $78.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.01, a PEG ratio of 6.41 and a beta of 1.27.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.52 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.32 by $0.20. Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 18.21% and a net margin of 21.02%.The company had revenue of $3.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.38 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.29 EPS. Norfolk Southern’s revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Norfolk Southern Corporation will post 12.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be given a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 7th. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is currently 46.08%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wolfe Research upped their target price on Norfolk Southern from $350.00 to $355.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. TD Cowen raised their price target on Norfolk Southern from $337.00 to $376.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Barclays boosted their price target on Norfolk Southern from $360.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. Stephens raised shares of Norfolk Southern to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $363.00 price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Friday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and sixteen have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $344.35.

Norfolk Southern Company Profile

Norfolk Southern Corporation is a major U.S. freight railroad company that provides rail transportation and related logistics services. As a Class I carrier, the company operates an extensive network across the eastern United States and offers scheduled freight service for a broad range of industries. Its core operations include long-haul and regional rail freight transportation, intermodal services that move containers and trailers between rail and other modes, and terminal and switching services that support efficient rail shipments for industrial and port customers.

The company transports a variety of commodities, serving sectors such as coal and energy, automotive and automotive parts, chemicals, agriculture, metals and construction materials, and consumer goods.