Sentry Investment Management LLC Has $211,000 Stake in Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC)

Sentry Investment Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Norfolk Southern Co. (NYSE:NSC) by 14.0% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 899 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 146 shares during the quarter. Sentry Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Norfolk Southern were worth $211,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Highline Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Norfolk Southern in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in shares of Norfolk Southern during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new position in Norfolk Southern in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Morse Asset Management Inc acquired a new stake in Norfolk Southern during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 75.10% of the company’s stock.

Norfolk Southern Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of NSC opened at $244.92 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $245.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $250.83. 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 Co. has a one year low of $206.71 and a one year high of $277.60. The company has a market cap of $55.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.35.

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

Norfolk Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 2.20%. Norfolk Southern’s payout ratio is currently 46.71%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Sameh Fahmy acquired 350 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 12th. The shares were bought at an average price of $249.37 per share, with a total value of $87,279.50. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 10,350 shares in the company, valued at $2,580,979.50. The trade was a 3.50 % increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Gilbert H. Lamphere bought 607 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $259.86 per share, with a total value of $157,735.02. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 2,487 shares in the company, valued at approximately $646,271.82. This represents a 32.29 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

NSC has been the subject of several research reports. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Citigroup lifted their target price on Norfolk Southern from $302.00 to $316.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Norfolk Southern from $275.00 to $286.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Stephens lifted their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Norfolk Southern from $285.00 to $265.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $276.11.

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.