NYSE: NSC
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Industrials · Railroads
Market Cap
$76.82B
52w High
$358.60
52w Low
$268.23
P/E
29.21
Volume
268.82K
Outstanding Shares
224.61M
Price vs Fundamentals
Why The Stock Is Moving
What changed
The stock rose 20.61% over the last year. Revenue grew 2.97% over the trailing twelve months. Operating margin moved from 36.06% to 31.63%. Free cash flow grew 89.48% over the trailing twelve months.
What the market seems to be pricing
The stock move broadly lines up with stronger business momentum, and the shares are still only around the 16th percentile of their historical P/FCF range.
What would invalidate this read
Operating margin is at 31.63%. Revenue grew 2.97% — this thesis depends on that trajectory holding. If revenue growth, margins, or free cash flow roll over while the stock keeps climbing, more of the move would be coming from multiple expansion than business progress.
Company profile
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC), operating through its various subsidiaries, is a prominent rail transport provider in the United States.
Valuation
Stock splits
Every 1 shares became 3
Every 1 shares became 3
Every 1 shares became 3
Profitability & growth
Analyst consensus
21
Buy
24
Hold
3
Sell
Analyst ratings tend to be lagging indicators. Use as one signal among many.
Earnings
Full quarter-by-quarter history of actuals vs estimates. Switch into compare mode to inspect one metric year-over-year.
Next report
Oct 22, 2026
Q4 FY26 · EPS est $3.57 · Revenue est $3.45B
View
Dividends
$5.40/shareQuarterlyDividend Aristocrat · 25yrEx-div Aug 7, 2026 · in 1dSafeNSC pays a dividend with a 1.58% declared yield, 25 consecutive years of growth, growing at 6.13% annually, covered 1.8× by free cash flow.
Declared Yield
1.58%
Annual Div / Share
$5.40
5yr CAGR
+6.13%
Doubles every ~11.6yr
Payout Ratio
45.98%
Safe
Dividend Growth Rate
3yr CAGR
+0.69%
5yr CAGR
+6.13%
10yr CAGR
+8.63%
Dividend History
Annualized dividend cycles per share
Income Projection
Today
$1/mo
In 5 yrs
$2/mo
In 10 yrs
$2/mo
| Today | In 5 yrs | In 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|
$16/yr $1/mo | $21/yr+35% $2/mo | $29/yr+81% $2/mo |
Yield-on-cost grows from 1.58% → 2.86% over 10yr
Analysis
Dividend Strengths
Dividend Aristocrat
NSC has raised its dividend for 25 consecutive years — qualifying as a Dividend Aristocrat, demonstrating long-term commitment to shareholder income.
Well-covered by free cash flow
The dividend is covered 1.8× by free cash flow, indicating the company generates sufficient cash to sustain and potentially grow the payout without straining its finances.
Strong dividend growth rate
The 5-year CAGR of 6.13% meaningfully outpaces inflation, compounding real income growth for long-term holders.
Risks to Watch
No strong risk signal stands out from the latest period pair.