Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) Price Target Lowered to $290.00 at Barclays

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) had its price objective lowered by research analysts at Barclays from $305.00 to $290.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "overweight" rating on the railroad operator's stock. Barclays's price objective would indicate a potential upside of 40.80% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Loop Capital lowered Norfolk Southern from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Benchmark reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $285.00 price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Stephens increased their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Norfolk Southern from $300.00 to $290.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given 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 an average price target of $272.74.

Norfolk Southern Stock Performance

NYSE NSC traded down $4.96 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $205.97. The company's stock had a trading volume of 776,766 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,225,668. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. Norfolk Southern has a 52 week low of $201.50 and a 52 week high of $277.60. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $242.94 and a 200 day simple moving average of $248.35. The stock has a market cap of $50.78 billion, a PE ratio of 17.81, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 earnings per share (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%. Equities research analysts predict that Norfolk Southern will post 13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Institutional Trading of Norfolk Southern

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in NSC. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC bought a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company's stock.

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.