Gotham Asset Management LLC Buys 2,343 Shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Gotham Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 77.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,356 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 2,343 shares during the quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $1,257,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Atlantic Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Performance

Shares of NSC opened at $246.19 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $55.50 billion, a PE ratio of 21.30, 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 stock has a 50-day moving average price of $226.19 and a 200-day moving average price of $242.54. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 12-month low of $201.63 and a 12-month high of $277.60.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last released its 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). The firm had revenue of $2.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.01 billion. Norfolk Southern had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 21.63%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.49 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 2nd will be paid a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 2nd. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.19%. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.89%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on NSC shares. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on Norfolk Southern from $265.00 to $247.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 14th. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Norfolk Southern in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $293.00 price objective on the stock. Loop Capital lowered Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Norfolk Southern from $300.00 to $290.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Norfolk Southern currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $266.50.

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.