Virtu Financial LLC Has $645,000 Stake in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Virtu Financial LLC lowered its stake in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 77.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 2,749 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 9,248 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $645,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new position in Norfolk Southern in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Morse Asset Management Inc acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the third quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Vision Financial Markets LLC bought a new stake in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 1.9 %

NYSE NSC opened at $236.11 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.90. Norfolk Southern Co. has a 52 week low of $206.71 and a 52 week high of $277.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $53.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.35. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $246.01 and a 200-day moving average of $249.63.

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

Norfolk Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.29%. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is presently 46.71%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere purchased 607 shares of Norfolk Southern stock in a transaction dated 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $646,271.82. This trade 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. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $284.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Loop Capital downgraded Norfolk Southern from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their target price for the stock from $289.00 to $256.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Norfolk Southern in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $293.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $276.63.

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.