NSC Dividend History & Analysis | 2.5% Yield

NSC has a dividend yield of 2.5% and paid 5.4 USD per share in the last 12M. Complete payout history, full analyses and peer comparison.

Yield 12m 2.54%
Payout Ratio 41.2%
Growth Rate CAGR 5y 6.74%
Consistency Lifetime 97.6%
Yield on Cost 5y 2.46%
Payout FCF 27.9%
Streak Years 44
Dividend Rating 64.73%

Dividends Cash Amount per Share Yearly

This chart shows the yearly cash amount paid as dividends per share. The exact values for each year can be found in the structured dataset with the html-id #yearly_dividend_dataset below.
Dividend Growth Year over Year This chart shows the annual dividend growth rate compared to the previous year.
5 Years Chart with Price and Dividend Yield This chart shows the dividend yield and price over time. Price is displayed as gray area (left axis), yield as dark blue line (right axis), and average yield as orange dashed line.
■ Yield (right) | ■ Price (left) | ┅ Avg Yield
Total Return 12m: 25%
Total Return 5y: 39.5%

Top Dividend Payers in Rail Transportation

Top 5 Dividend Yields of Peer-Group
Symbol Market Cap USD Dividend Yield TTM Yield on Cost 5y
GET 10,684 M 3.50% 4.68%
CNI 63,290 M 2.59% 2.66%
UNP 139,452 M 2.35% 2.98%
VOS 1,851 M 1.56% 2.82%
CSX 70,395 M 1.59% 1.91%
Top 4 Dividend Growth Rates of Peer-Group
Symbol Market Cap USD Growth Rate Consistency
GET 10,684 M 84.6% 88.6%
CNI 63,290 M 6.71% 100%
UNP 139,452 M 6.12% 97.4%
VOS 1,851 M 2.41% 81.8%

NSC Dividend History: Last 50 Payments (USD) as of February 2026

Ex-Dividend Date Record Date Payment Date Period Dividend per Share Dividend Growth Rate QoQ Payout Yield
2026-02-06 2026-02-06 2026-02-20 1.35 0% 0.44%
2025-11-07 2025-11-07 2025-11-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.48%
2025-08-01 2025-08-01 2025-08-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.49%
2025-05-02 2025-05-02 2025-05-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.6%
2025-02-07 2025-02-07 2025-02-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.54%
2024-11-01 2024-11-01 2024-11-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.54%
2024-08-02 2024-08-02 2024-08-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.55%
2024-05-02 2024-05-03 2024-05-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.58%
2024-02-01 2024-02-02 2024-02-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.54%
2023-11-02 2023-11-03 2023-11-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.71%
2023-08-03 2023-08-04 2023-08-21 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.59%
2023-05-04 2023-05-05 2023-05-20 Quarterly 1.35 0% 0.67%
2023-02-02 2023-02-03 2023-02-21 Quarterly 1.35 8.9% 0.54%
2022-11-03 2022-11-04 2022-11-21 Quarterly 1.24 0% 0.56%
2022-08-05 2022-08-08 2022-08-20 Quarterly 1.24 0% 0.5%
2022-05-05 2022-05-06 2022-05-20 Quarterly 1.24 0% 0.48%
2022-02-03 2022-02-04 2022-02-21 Quarterly 1.24 13.8% 0.45%
2021-11-04 2021-11-05 2021-11-19 Quarterly 1.09 0% 0.38%
2021-08-06 2021-08-09 2021-08-20 Quarterly 1.09 10.1% 0.43%
2021-05-06 2021-05-07 2021-05-20 Quarterly 0.99 0% 0.34%
2021-02-04 2021-02-05 2021-03-10 Quarterly 0.99 5.3% N/A
2020-11-05 2020-11-06 2020-12-10 Quarterly 0.94 0% N/A
2020-08-06 2020-08-07 2020-09-10 Quarterly 0.94 0% N/A
2020-05-07 2020-05-08 2020-06-10 Quarterly 0.94 0% N/A
2020-02-06 2020-02-07 2020-03-10 Quarterly 0.94 0% N/A
2019-10-31 2019-11-01 2019-12-10 Quarterly 0.94 0% N/A
2019-08-02 2019-08-05 2019-09-10 Quarterly 0.94 9.3% N/A
2019-05-02 2019-05-03 2019-06-10 Quarterly 0.86 0% N/A
2019-02-01 2019-02-04 2019-03-11 Quarterly 0.86 7.5% N/A
2018-11-01 2018-11-02 2018-12-10 Quarterly 0.8 0% N/A
2018-08-03 2018-08-06 2018-09-10 Quarterly 0.8 11.1% N/A
2018-05-03 2018-05-04 2018-06-11 Quarterly 0.72 0% N/A
2018-02-01 2018-02-02 2018-03-10 Quarterly 0.72 18% N/A
2017-11-02 2017-11-03 2017-12-11 Quarterly 0.61 0% N/A
2017-08-03 2017-08-07 2017-09-11 Quarterly 0.61 0% N/A
2017-05-03 2017-05-05 2017-06-10 Quarterly 0.61 0% N/A
2017-02-01 2017-02-03 2017-03-10 Quarterly 0.61 3.4% N/A
2016-11-02 2016-11-04 2016-12-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2016-08-04 2016-08-08 2016-09-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2016-05-04 2016-05-06 2016-06-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2016-02-03 2016-02-05 2016-03-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2015-11-04 2015-11-06 2015-12-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2015-08-05 2015-08-07 2015-09-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2015-05-06 2015-05-08 2015-06-10 Quarterly 0.59 0% N/A
2015-02-04 2015-02-06 2015-03-10 Quarterly 0.59 3.5% N/A
2014-11-05 2014-11-07 2014-12-10 Quarterly 0.57 0% N/A
2014-07-30 2014-08-01 2014-09-10 Quarterly 0.57 5.6% N/A
2014-04-30 2014-05-02 2014-06-10 Quarterly 0.54 0% N/A
2014-02-05 2014-02-07 2014-03-10 Quarterly 0.54 3.8% N/A
2013-10-30 2013-11-01 2013-12-10 Quarterly 0.52 0% N/A

NSC Dividend FAQ

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) is a U.S.-based rail carrier that moves a broad mix of commodities-including agricultural products, chemicals, metals, construction materials, automotive goods, and coal-across an extensive network of Class I rail lines and intermodal terminals. The company also handles overseas freight via Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports and operates a dedicated intermodal service.

What is the Dividend Yield of NSC?

As of February 2026, NSC`s dividend yield is 2.54%. This is calculated by dividing the trailing 12-month dividend rate (TTM rate) of 5.40 USD by the current share price of 306.48.

Does NSC pay a dividend?

As of February 2026, NSC paid a dividend of 5.40 USD in the last 12 months. The last dividend was paid on 2026-02-06 and the payout was 1.35 USD.

How often does NSC pay dividends?

NSC pays dividends quarterly. Over the last 12 months, NSC has issued 4 dividend payments. The last dividend payment was made on 2026-02-06.

NSC dividend forecast

Based on historical data, the forecasted dividends per share for NSC for the next 4 payments are between 1.491 (+10.4%) and 1.553 (+15.0%).
This represents a strong dividend growth compared to the last payment.

Will NSC pay dividends in 2026?

The latest dividend paid per share was 1.35 USD with an Ex-Dividend Date of 2026-02-06. The next Ex-Dividend date for Norfolk Southern (NSC) is currently unknown.

What is the next Ex-Dividend Date for NSC?

The next Ex-Dividend date for Norfolk Southern (NSC) is currently unknown. We automatically update the next Ex-Dividend date when it is announced.

What is the Dividend Growth of NSC?

NSC's average dividend growth rate over the past 5 years is 6.74% per year.
Strong growth: NSC's Dividend growth is outpacing inflation.

What is the Yield on Cost of NSC?

NSC's 5-Year Yield on Cost is 2.46%. If you bought NSC's shares at 219.64 USD five years ago, your current annual dividend income (5.40 USD per share, trailing 12 months) equals 2.46% of your original purchase price.

What is the Payout Consistency of NSC?

NSC Payout Consistency is 97.6%. The payout consistency is a proprietary measure of how consistently a company has paid dividends over its lifetime and blends growth rate, number of dividend payments, interruptions or lowering dividends into one number.
Very consistent: Norfolk Southern has a strong track record of consistent dividend payments over its lifetime.

Does NSC have a good Dividend Yield?

NSC`s 2.54% Dividend Yield is considered as moderate. This is usually a sign of a value company.

What is the Dividend Payout Ratio of NSC?

The Dividend Payout Ratio of NSC is 41.2%. Healthy - Leaves room for growth and provides some protection to maintain dividends even in a recession.

What is the Dividend Rating of NSC?

NSC`s Overall Dividend Rating is 64.73%. Ratings surpassing 65% are regarded as acceptable, exceeding 75% are favorable and surpassing 85% are strong.

NSC Outstanding Shares Analysis

What is the Trend in NSC's Outstanding Shares?

Norfolk Southern's outstanding shares have decreased by approximately 0.33% annually over the past 3 years (Trend Reliability: -33.3%).

Slightly positive: The company is modestly reducing its share count through buybacks. This provides a small tailwind to earnings per share and dividend sustainability.

Has NSC ever had a Stock Split?

Yes, the last stock split was on Oct 10, 1997 with a ratio of 3:1.

This was a forward split: Each share became 3 shares, lowering the price proportionally. The dividend per share was also adjusted downward by the same ratio, so total dividend income remained unchanged.

Year Number of Shares Annual Growth Rate
1985 566,400,000
1986 555,652,200 -1.9%
1987 564,772,700 +1.64%
1988 543,636,400 -3.74%
1989 518,965,500 -4.54%
1990 476,333,300 -8.21%
1991 442,058,800 -7.2%
1992 428,823,500 -2.99%
1993 413,913,000 -3.48%
1994 399,399,200 -3.51%
1995 387,098,500 -3.08%
1996 376,363,300 -2.77%
1997 375,409,800 -0.25%
1998 373,333,300 -0.55%
1999 400,000,000 +7.14%
2000 389,473,700 -2.63%
2001 390,909,100 +0.37%
2002 387,037,000 -0.99%
2003 395,000,000 +2.06%
2004 404,166,700 +2.32%
2005 412,162,200 +1.98%
2006 395,833,300 -3.96%
2007 377,922,100 -4.52%
2008 366,200,000 -3.1%
2009 369,500,000 +0.9%
2010 355,200,000 -3.87%
2011 328,300,000 -7.57%
2012 318,600,000 -2.95%
2013 312,300,000 -1.98%
2014 312,000,000 -0.1%
2015 300,400,000 -3.72%
2016 293,700,000 -2.23%
2017 287,800,000 -2.01%
2018 273,500,000 -4.97%
2019 261,600,000 -4.35%
2020 254,700,000 -2.64%
2021 243,500,000 -4.4%
2022 230,700,000 -5.26%
2023 226,300,000 -1.91%
2024 226,500,000 +0.09%
2025 224,800,000 -0.75%

Key Metric Definitions

Dividend Yield
Annual dividend per share divided by current share price.
Payout Ratio
Percentage of earnings paid as dividends. Below 60% = safe, above 100% = unsustainable.
Payout FCF
Percentage of Free Cash Flow paid as dividends. More reliable than Payout Ratio since it measures actual cash.
Growth Rate (CAGR)
Compound annual growth rate of dividends over the last 5 years.
Consistency
Reliability of dividend payments over lifetime. Penalizes cuts and pauses.
Yield on Cost
Your effective yield if you bought 5 years ago. Shows dividend growth impact over time.
Streak
Consecutive years of dividend payments. 25+ years = Dividend Aristocrat.
Dividend Rating
Proprietary score (0-100) combining yield, growth, safety and consistency.

Last update: 2026-02-07 03:25