PFC Capital Group Inc. Sells 550 Shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

PFC Capital Group Inc. cut its holdings in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 20.6% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,115 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 550 shares during the period. PFC Capital Group Inc.’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $496,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC purchased a new position in Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Atlantic Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. 75.10% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Norfolk Southern Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:NSC opened at $237.24 on Tuesday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $245.12 and its 200 day moving average is $248.93. 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 Co. has a 52 week low of $206.71 and a 52 week high of $277.60. The stock has a market cap of $53.72 billion, a PE ratio of 20.52, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.35.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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%. Research analysts anticipate that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 earnings per share for the current year.

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is 46.71%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on NSC shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $293.00 price objective for the company. Loop Capital lowered shares of Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. 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. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their price target on Norfolk Southern from $292.00 to $272.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $274.84.

Insider Activity at Norfolk Southern

In other news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere acquired 607 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The shares were purchased at an average price of $259.86 per share, for a total transaction of $157,735.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 2,487 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $646,271.82. The trade was a 32.29 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.