Sierra Summit Advisors LLC Takes $1.26 Million Position in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Sierra Summit Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 5,348 shares of the railroad operator’s stock, valued at approximately $1,255,000.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Norfolk Southern

In other Norfolk Southern news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere purchased 607 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 31st. The stock was purchased at an average price of $259.86 per share, with a total value of $157,735.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,487 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $646,271.82. This trade represents a 32.29 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $285.00 price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $290.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $292.00 to $272.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 25th. Stephens boosted their price target on Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $284.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $272.74.

Norfolk Southern Stock Down 4.5 %

Shares of NSC opened at $210.78 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.90. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $242.94 and a 200-day simple moving average of $248.35. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 52 week low of $206.71 and a 52 week high of $277.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $51.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 EPS for the quarter, beating 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%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share 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. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.56%. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio is currently 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.