(NSC) Norfolk Southern - Ratings and Ratios

Exchange: NYSE • Country: United States • Currency: USD • Type: Common Stock • ISIN: US6558441084

Rail, Freight, Intermodal, Logistics

Stock: Rail Transportation
Age 43.6y

MCap 65,213m
Avg Vol 974K (282M USD)

Beta 0.765
Volatility 23.65%

EPS (Earnings per Share)

EPS CAGR: 1.51%
EPS Trend: -19.0%

Last SUE: 0.37
Qual. Beats: 0

Revenue

Rev. CAGR: 2.27%
Rev. Trend: -3.2%

Last SUE: -0.22
Qual. Beats: 0

Dividends

Dividend Yield	2.10%
Yield on Cost 5y	2.44%
Yield CAGR 5y	6.74%
Payout Consistency	97.6%
Payout Ratio	43.8%

Risk via 5d forecast
Volatility	23.7%
Value at Risk 5%th	36.1%
Relative Tail Risk	-7.28%

Reward TTM
Sharpe Ratio	0.63
Alpha	4.35
CAGR/Max DD	0.33

Character TTM
Hurst Exponent	0.493
Beta	0.765
Beta Downside	0.829

Drawdowns 3y
Max DD	26.68%
Mean DD	9.71%
Median DD	8.42%

Description: NSC Norfolk Southern December 03, 2025

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is a U.S.-based rail carrier that moves a broad mix of commodities-including agricultural grains, chemicals, metals, construction materials, automotive parts, and coal-across its network, with additional service for overseas freight via Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports and an expanding intermodal platform. The company, incorporated in 1980 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operates primarily in the Rail Transportation sub-industry of the GICS classification.

Key operational metrics (FY 2024) show a revenue of roughly $12.5 billion and an operating ratio near 62 %, reflecting efficient cost management relative to peers. Intermodal volumes grew about 5 % year-over-year, driven by sustained e-commerce demand, while diesel fuel exposure remains a material cost risk. Macro-level drivers for the sector include U.S. GDP growth, construction activity, and seasonal agricultural shipping cycles, all of which directly affect NSC’s load-to-ship ratios.

For a deeper, data-focused look at NSC’s valuation and risk profile, the ValueRay platform provides a concise, analytics-driven snapshot worth reviewing.

Piotroski VR‑10 (Strict, 0-10) 6.0

Net Income: 2.96b TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue
FCF/TA: 0.05 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA 5.70 > 1.0
NWC/Revenue: -3.99% < 20% (prev -8.11%; Δ 4.12% < -1%)
CFO/TA 0.10 > 3% & CFO 4.25b > Net Income 2.96b
Net Debt (15.66b) to EBITDA (6.01b): 2.61 < 3
Current Ratio: 0.86 > 1.5 & < 3
Outstanding Shares: last quarter (224.7m) vs 12m ago -0.79% < -2%
Gross Margin: 34.05% > 18% (prev 0.28%; Δ 3376 % > 0.5%)
Asset Turnover: 27.85% > 50% (prev 28.14%; Δ -0.29% > 0%)
Interest Coverage Ratio: 5.81 > 6 (EBITDA TTM 6.01b / Interest Expense TTM 796.0m)

Altman Z'' 2.04

A: -0.01 (Total Current Assets 3.04b - Total Current Liabilities 3.52b) / Total Assets 44.58b
B: 0.29 (Retained Earnings 12.89b / Total Assets 44.58b)
C: 0.11 (EBIT TTM 4.62b / Avg Total Assets 43.92b)
D: 0.44 (Book Value of Equity 12.86b / Total Liabilities 29.44b)
Altman-Z'' Score: 2.04 = BBB

Beneish M -3.32

DSRI: 0.84 (Receivables 1.10b/1.30b, Revenue 12.23b/12.17b)
GMI: 0.84 (GM 34.05% / 28.48%)
AQI: 1.02 (AQ_t 0.12 / AQ_t-1 0.12)
SGI: 1.00 (Revenue 12.23b / 12.17b)
TATA: -0.03 (NI 2.96b - CFO 4.25b) / TA 44.58b)
Beneish M-Score: -3.32 = AA

ValueRay F-Score (Strict, 0-100) 62.89

1. Piotroski: 6.0pt
2. FCF Yield: 2.60%
3. FCF Margin: 17.16%
4. Debt/Equity: 1.13
5. Debt/Ebitda: 2.61
6. ROIC - WACC: 4.05%
7. RoE: 20.17%
8. Revenue Trend: -3.17%
9. EPS Trend: -19.03%

What is the price of NSC shares?

As of January 23, 2026, the stock is trading at USD 289.08 with a total of 958,089 shares traded.
Over the past week, the price has changed by -0.58%, over one month by -0.86%, over three months by +0.64% and over the past year by +17.24%.

Is NSC a buy, sell or hold?

Norfolk Southern has received a consensus analysts rating of 3.85. Therefore, it is recommended to buy NSC.

Strong Buy: 11
Buy: 3
Hold: 12
Sell: 0
Strong Sell: 1

What are the forecasts/targets for the NSC price?

Issuer	Target	Up/Down from current
Wallstreet Target Price	310.6	7.5%
Analysts Target Price	310.6	7.5%
ValueRay Target Price	307.6	6.4%

NSC Fundamental Data Overview January 21, 2026

P/E Trailing = 22.1686
P/E Forward = 22.3214
P/S = 5.3323
P/B = 4.3071
P/EG = 3.0601
Revenue TTM = 12.23b USD
EBIT TTM = 4.62b USD
EBITDA TTM = 6.01b USD
Long Term Debt = 16.48b USD (from longTermDebt, last quarter)
Short Term Debt = 607.0m USD (from shortTermDebt, last quarter)
Debt = 17.08b USD (from shortLongTermDebtTotal, last quarter)
Net Debt = 15.66b USD (from netDebt column, last quarter)
Enterprise Value = 80.88b USD (65.21b + Debt 17.08b - CCE 1.42b)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 5.81 (Ebit TTM 4.62b / Interest Expense TTM 796.0m)
EV/FCF = 38.53x (Enterprise Value 80.88b / FCF TTM 2.10b)
FCF Yield = 2.60% (FCF TTM 2.10b / Enterprise Value 80.88b)
FCF Margin = 17.16% (FCF TTM 2.10b / Revenue TTM 12.23b)
Net Margin = 24.22% (Net Income TTM 2.96b / Revenue TTM 12.23b)
Gross Margin = 34.05% ((Revenue TTM 12.23b - Cost of Revenue TTM 8.07b) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 33.16% (prev 35.50%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 1.81 (Enterprise Value 80.88b / Total Assets 44.58b)
Interest Expense / Debt = 1.15% (Interest Expense 197.0m / Debt 17.08b)
Taxrate = 23.05% (213.0m / 924.0m)
NOPAT = 3.56b (EBIT 4.62b * (1 - 23.05%))
Current Ratio = 0.86 (Total Current Assets 3.04b / Total Current Liabilities 3.52b)
Debt / Equity = 1.13 (Debt 17.08b / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 15.14b)
Debt / EBITDA = 2.61 (Net Debt 15.66b / EBITDA 6.01b)
Debt / FCF = 7.46 (Net Debt 15.66b / FCF TTM 2.10b)
Total Stockholder Equity = 14.69b (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = 6.74% (Net Income 2.96b / Total Assets 44.58b)
RoE = 20.17% (Net Income TTM 2.96b / Total Stockholder Equity 14.69b)
RoCE = 14.84% (EBIT 4.62b / Capital Employed (Equity 14.69b + L.T.Debt 16.48b))
RoIC = 11.15% (NOPAT 3.56b / Invested Capital 31.90b)
WACC = 7.10% (E(65.21b)/V(82.30b) * Re(8.73%) + D(17.08b)/V(82.30b) * Rd(1.15%) * (1-Tc(0.23)))
Discount Rate = 8.73% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares Correlation 3-Years: -33.33 | Cagr: -0.35%
[DCF Debug] Terminal Value 74.52% ; FCFF base≈2.10b ; Y1≈1.38b ; Y5≈628.7m
Fair Price DCF = N/A (negative equity: EV 14.66b - Net Debt 15.66b = -1.00b; debt exceeds intrinsic value)
[DCF Warning] FCF declining rapidly (-40.0%), DCF may be unreliable
EPS Correlation: -19.03 | EPS CAGR: 1.51% | SUE: 0.37 | # QB: 0
Revenue Correlation: -3.17 | Revenue CAGR: 2.27% | SUE: -0.22 | # QB: 0
EPS next Quarter (2026-03-31): EPS=2.81 | Chg30d=-0.124 | Revisions Net=-5 | Analysts=11
EPS next Year (2026-12-31): EPS=12.79 | Chg30d=-0.290 | Revisions Net=-15 | Growth EPS=+6.5% | Growth Revenue=+2.8%

Additional Sources for NSC Stock

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