Stocktoria
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP NSC
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP (NSC) earns a Piotroski F-score of 5/9 (mixed financial health), with an Altman Z″ in the grey zone. It pays a dividend yielding 1.73% (safety: moderate). FY2025 revenue was $12.2B at a 23.6% net margin.
Quality score trend · recomputed for each fiscal year
Each year's score is computed from that year's filing — a rising Piotroski F or Altman Z″ means improving financial health, a fall is worth a look.
Analyst price target
Recent analyst actions
| Date | Firm | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-27 | BMO Capital | Market Perform (main) |
| 2026-07-27 | Baird | Neutral (main) |
| 2026-07-24 | Citigroup | Neutral (main) |
| 2026-07-24 | JP Morgan | Neutral (main) |
| 2026-07-24 | TD Cowen | Buy (main) |
| 2026-07-24 | Wells Fargo | Overweight (main) |
Wall Street analyst consensus — a sentiment gauge, not our scoring.
Forward estimates · earnings calendar →
Consensus analyst estimates and scheduled dates — forward-looking, may change.
How it ranks in Transportation & Utilities · percentile among 348 companies
Percentile vs other Transportation & Utilities companies we cover — e.g. “stronger than 90%” means only 10% score higher on that measure.
Piotroski F breakdown · 5/9 tests passed
- Positive return on assets
- Positive operating cash flow
- Rising ROA
- Cash flow exceeds net income
- Lower long-term debt
- Rising current ratio
- No share dilution
- Rising gross margin
- Rising asset turnover
Altman Z″ components · grey zone
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Working capital / assets | -0.013 |
| Retained earnings / assets | 0.293 |
| EBIT / assets | 0.096 |
| Equity / liabilities | 0.524 |
Sector peers · similar-size Transportation & Utilities companies compare side by side →
| Ticker | Company | Piotroski F | Altman Z″ | P / E | Revenue growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSC | NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP | 5/9 | 2.07 | 24.5 | +0.5% |
| CSX | CSX CORP | 4/9 | 1.85 | 30.7 | -3.1% |
| CP | CANADIAN PACIFIC KANSAS CITY LTD/CN | 6/9 | 2.21 | — | +3.7% |
| FIP | FTAI Infrastructure Inc. | 2/9 | — | — | +51.6% |
| UNP | UNION PACIFIC CORP | 7/9 | 4.54 | 22.2 | +1.1% |
| NPPXF | NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP | 6/9 | 2.95 | — | -1.3% |
| VZ | VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC | 4/9 | 1.53 | 11.4 | +2.5% |
All Transportation & Utilities companies →
About NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
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, including 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. It also transports overseas freight through various Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports; and operates an intermodal network. Norfolk Southern Corporation was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
FAQ
Is NSC financially healthy?
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP's Piotroski F-score is 5/9 (8–9 is excellent, 0–3 weak), and its Altman Z″ distress score is in the grey zone.
Does NSC pay a dividend, and is it safe?
Yes. NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP pays a dividend yielding about 1.73% with a 42.3% payout ratio, rated “moderate” for safety.
How profitable is NSC?
In FY2025, NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP had a net margin of 23.6% and a return on equity of 18.5%.
Is NSC overvalued or undervalued?
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP trades at about 26.3× trailing earnings — above its 10-year norm (10-year range 8.1×–30.2×, median 22.1×). Stocktoria reports the data, not buy/sell advice.
What is the analyst price target for NSC?
The average Wall-Street price target for NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP is $365.28, about 8.9% above the recent price, from 18 analysts (consensus: hold).
Is NSC a good stock to buy?
Stocktoria doesn't give buy or sell advice, but here is the data on NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP: a Piotroski F-score of 5/9, an Altman Z″ in the grey zone, a P/E of about 24.5×, a dividend yield of 1.73%. Weigh these quality and valuation signals against your own goals.
Computed from company filings · US · as of 2025-12-31. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.