Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan Invests $7.33 Million in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan acquired a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm acquired 31,209 shares of the railroad operator's stock, valued at approximately $7,325,000.

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

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

NSC stock traded up $5.96 on Friday, reaching $219.99. The company had a trading volume of 1,362,718 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,252,158. 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's fifty day moving average is $233.78 and its 200 day moving average is $245.74. The company has a market cap of $54.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.03, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 1 year low of $201.63 and a 1 year high of $277.60.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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, research analysts forecast that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were given 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 2.45%. Norfolk Southern's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.71%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Norfolk Southern news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere purchased 607 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $259.86 per share, with a total value of $157,735.02. Following the purchase, the director now owns 2,487 shares in the company, valued at approximately $646,271.82. This represents a 32.29 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NSC has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $284.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Norfolk Southern in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $293.00 target price on the stock. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $290.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, 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. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Norfolk Southern presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $268.79.

About Norfolk Southern

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.