Yaupon Capital Management LP Grows Stock Position in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Yaupon Capital Management LP raised its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 2.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 118,902 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 2,997 shares during the period. Norfolk Southern comprises 1.2% of Yaupon Capital Management LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Yaupon Capital Management LP’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $27,906,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere purchased 607 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The shares were acquired 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 in the company, valued at $646,271.82. This trade represents a 32.29 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Down 0.5 %

Norfolk Southern stock opened at $218.78 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $233.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $245.54. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 1-year low of $201.63 and a 1-year high of $277.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $53.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.93, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.82.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 earnings per share 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 forecast that Norfolk Southern Co. will post 13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were issued a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.47%. Norfolk Southern’s dividend payout ratio is currently 46.71%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NSC has been the topic of a number of research reports. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $284.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. Loop Capital cut shares of Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Barclays lowered their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $305.00 to $290.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Norfolk Southern from $298.00 to $259.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $268.79.

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.