Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC Sells 60 Shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC trimmed its position in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 5.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 951 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 60 shares during the period. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $223,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Morse Asset Management Inc purchased a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Stephens upped their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Loop Capital downgraded Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $285.00 price target on shares of Norfolk Southern in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $285.00 to $265.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $276.11.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Sameh Fahmy acquired 350 shares of Norfolk Southern stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 12th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $249.37 per share, for a total transaction of $87,279.50. Following the transaction, the director now owns 10,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,580,979.50. This trade represents a 3.50 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere bought 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 transaction, the director now directly owns 2,487 shares in the company, valued at $646,271.82. The trade was a 32.29 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Trading Down 1.6 %

Shares of NSC stock opened at $243.75 on Tuesday. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 52-week low of $206.71 and a 52-week high of $277.60. The business’s fifty day moving average is $245.47 and its 200 day moving average is $250.79. 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 market capitalization of $55.19 billion, a PE ratio of 21.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.35.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The railroad operator reported $3.04 earnings per share (EPS) 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%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th were issued a $1.35 dividend. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is 46.71%.

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.