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Is NSC a good stock to buy?

Norfolk Southern Corporation · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026

Norfolk Southern
NSC · $73.65B
$327.88-1.6%
Nov 13, 2026 · close
$320$340SepOctNov9:3016:003 months -2.9%Nov 13 · close
▲ 3
  • PT$354.64 +8.2%
  • MAs3 of 4
  • MA20×50Golden 10d ago
Neutral
  • Earnings in76d
  • P/E27.5x
  • RSI49
  • Support-2.4%
  • Resistance+2.0%
  • Off 52w high-8.6%
  • Volume1.7x
  • Bollingerlower half
  • News0.00
  • P/E vs sector+0.4%
  • ConsensusHold · 21
  • Trendsideways
  • 52w range$278–$359
  • ATR+2.1%
  • Off ATH-8.6%
  • InsidersNone in 90d
▼ 3
  • P/E vs own+10.4%
  • MACD-1.17
  • Sector▼ -11.7%

Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.

Is Norfolk Southern a good stock to buy?

Norfolk Southern is strong on 2 of the 5 questions about the business; weak on demand and fragility. The price is high: 27.5 times its earnings, above its 3-year median of 23.8 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.

  1. Demand shrinking
  2. Advantage some edge
  3. Economics profits growing
  4. Execution delivers
  5. Fragility fragile
  6. Price expensive
DemandDo people want more of what it sells?shrinking

NSC sales growth revenue growth

-2%a year, for the last 3 years

Norfolk Southern's sales fell 2% a year for 3 years, to $12.18B in fiscal 2025.

NSC analysts' forecast revenue estimates

+11%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the last

Analysts expect Norfolk Southern's sales to grow 11% to $13.46B in fiscal 2026 (15 analysts).

NSC peers

pretickt analysis+6%its sales in 12 months, on a year before

Norfolk Southern's sales grew 6% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, faster than CSX (+6%), slower than Wabtec (+13%) and Union Pacific (+7%).

NSC sales by business revenue by segment

63%of its sales from Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Merchandise

Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Merchandise brought Norfolk Southern 63% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Intermodal 25%.

Advantage moatIs it hard to copy?some edge

NSC margin on each sale gross margin

53%left after making the product

Norfolk Southern kept 53% of each sale after making the product in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; its peers' median is 36%.

EconomicsDoes it make good money?profits growing

NSC profit per share

+10%in its last fiscal year

Norfolk Southern's earnings per share grew 10% in fiscal 2025, to $12.75.

ExecutionDoes it deliver what it promises?delivers

NSC earnings vs estimates

7 of 8quarters above the analysts' estimate

Norfolk Southern beat the analysts' profit estimate in 7 of its last 8 quarters, the latest on Oct 22, 2026.

NSC insider selling

-$193Ksold, net, by its executives in 12 months

Norfolk Southern's executives and directors sold a net $193K of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($253K sold, $60.14K bought).

NSC number of employees

-2%fewer people in a year

Norfolk Southern had 19,300 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 2% fewer than a year before.

NSC CEO pay

$16.25Mfor fiscal 2025, 71% of it in stock and options

Norfolk Southern paid its CEO $16.25M for fiscal 2025, 71% of it in stock and options.

Fragility risksCould something break it?fragile

NSC financial health Altman Z-score

2.5Altman Z-score, safe above 3

Norfolk Southern's Altman Z-score is 2.5 (Nov 13, 2026), between 1.8 and 3, the grey zone.

NSC shareholders institutional ownership

pretickt analysis
  • Vanguard9.7% ▲
  • BlackRock7.1% ▲
  • State Street4.6% ▲
1,911institutions hold it; the largest added shares

1,911 institutions hold 76% of Norfolk Southern's shares (Jun 30, 2026); Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street added shares that quarter.

NSC in past recessions

pretickt analysis-25%its sales in the worst one

Norfolk Southern's sales fell in each of the last 2 US recessions, by as much as 25% in fiscal 2009.

Price valuationIs the price reasonable?expensive

NSC price vs profit P/E ratio

27.5×a year's earnings

Norfolk Southern's P/E ratio is 27.5 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 23.8.

NSC price vs peers

pretickt analysis27.5×a year's earnings, against its peers

Investors pay 27.5 times Norfolk Southern's earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for CSX (27.0), Union Pacific (23.6) and FedEx (20.1), less than for Wabtec (37.0).

NSC analysts' target price target

+8%to their average target

Analysts' average price target for Norfolk Southern is $355, 8% above the Nov 13, 2026 close of $327.88.

What is Norfolk Southern's P/E ratio?

Norfolk Southern's P/E ratio is 27.5 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 23.8. Investors pay 27.5 times Norfolk Southern's earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for CSX (27.0), Union Pacific (23.6) and FedEx (20.1), less than for Wabtec (37.0).

Are insiders selling Norfolk Southern stock?

Norfolk Southern's executives and directors sold a net $193K of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($253K sold, $60.14K bought).

How does Norfolk Southern make money?

Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Merchandise brought Norfolk Southern 63% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Railway Operating Revenues Market Group Intermodal 25%.

Who owns Norfolk Southern stock?

1,911 institutions hold 76% of Norfolk Southern's shares (Jun 30, 2026); Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street added shares that quarter.

How many employees does Norfolk Southern have?

Norfolk Southern had 19,300 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 2% fewer than a year before.

From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.