Partners in Financial Planning Invests $1.97 Million in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Partners in Financial Planning acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 8,402 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $1,972,000.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Norfolk Southern

In other news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere bought 607 shares of Norfolk Southern stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 31st. The shares were bought at an average price of $259.86 per share, for a total transaction of $157,735.02. Following the purchase, the director now owns 2,487 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $646,271.82. This trade represents a 32.29 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on NSC shares. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Loop Capital lowered Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $289.00 to $256.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Norfolk Southern in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $293.00 price objective on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Stephens boosted their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $274.84.

Norfolk Southern Trading Down 2.0 %

Norfolk Southern stock opened at $230.41 on Monday. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 12 month low of $206.71 and a 12 month high of $277.60. The stock has a market cap of $52.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.35. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $245.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $249.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16.

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

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a dividend of $1.35 per share. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.34%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio is 46.71%.

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.