Stock·NYSE·Industrials
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC)
- Market cap
- $73.43B
- P/E
- 27.72
- Dividend yield
- 1.65%
- Street target
- $354.50median of 21 analysts
- 52-week range
- $277.80 $358.60
The short version
Where NSC stands today, in four lines, and what CleaRank Financial AI makes of it.
NSC at a glance
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC): Buy, 68/100 on CleaRank's AI score.
- Trend Mixed: the price is above its 200-day but below its 50-day moving average ($312.80 and $327.18).
- Earnings NSC beat estimates in 4 of its last 5 quarters, yet fell the next day after 1 of those beats.
- Insiders Insiders sold $253K and bought $1.3M over the last 18 months.
- Valuation P/E of 27.7 against 34.0 for the Industrials sector: broadly in line with peers (-18%).
Figures as of October 17, 2026.
CleaRank Financial AI
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) earns a Buy rating from CleaRank, with a model score of 68/100.
The trend contributes the most to that score. The price is 4.52% above its 200-day average, and the 50-day average is 4.60% above the 200-day, with the two averages standing at $327.18 and $312.80. Across the past year the stock gained 13.32%.
Only on CleaRank
Figures we compute ourselves from NSC's own price, earnings and insider-filing history. Tap one to see it in context.
Price and trading
The chart, today's range and how far the price has moved over each period.
Trend checks
3/4Price above its 50-day average ›
The price of $326.92 is 0.1% below the 50-day simple moving average of $327.18.Price above its 200-day average ›
The price is 4.5% above the 200-day simple moving average of $312.80.50-day average above the 200-day ›
The 50-day average ($327.18) is 4.6% above the 200-day average ($312.80), the arrangement of a rising longer-term trend.In the upper half of its 52-week range ›
The price sits at 61% of its 52-week range, between $277.80 and $358.60.
NSC share price
Pick a period: each tab shows how far NSC has moved over it, to the last close.
Today's trading
Where NSC sits inside today's range and its 52-week range.
Fundamentals
Valuation against the sector, and the revenue and earnings behind it.
Valuation and quality checks
4/5P/E below the sector median ›
The trailing P/E of 27.72 is 18.5% below the Industrials median of 34.0.P/S below the sector median ›
The price-to-sales ratio of 5.82 is 45.5% above the sector median of 4.0.Profitable over the last 12 months ›
Net income over the last 12 months was $2.6B on revenue of $12.5B, a net margin of 21.0%.Beat estimates in most recent reports ›
NSC beat the EPS estimate in 4 of its last 5 reports.Pays a dividend ›
The trailing dividend yield is 1.65%, or $5.40 a share a year.
Key statistics
The headline figures for NSC.
As of October 17, 2026, NSC trades at $326.92, with a market value of $73.43B, a P/E ratio of 27.72 and a dividend yield of 1.65%.
What the numbers say
CleaRank Financial AI's reading of NSC's valuation, growth and risks.
At 27.72 times trailing earnings, Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) has a P/E that is 18.5% below the Industrials median of 34.0. The peer comparison on this page calls that multiple broadly in line with peers. Measured against sales, NSC trades at 5.82 times, which is 45.5% above the sector median of 4.0. Its trailing earnings stand at $11.72 per share.
NSC grew revenue 11.40% in the latest year, which leaves it 0.3 percentage points slower than the sector median of 11.7%. Its net margin of 21.02% and operating margin of 35.30% show how much of each sales dollar becomes profit. Return on equity of 16.99% sits below the sector median of 17.8%. On the balance sheet, debt-to-equity is 1.06, and the trailing dividend yield is 1.65%, or $5.40 a share per year.
$3.22 a share against a $2.76 estimate made the January 29, 2026 report a beat of 16.67%. The share price rose 0.37% in the first session after the report.
NSC beat estimates in 4 of the last 5 reports, but the stock fell in the next session after 1 of those 4 beats. Analysts expect EPS of $12.88 for this fiscal year and $14.29 for next, which is growth of 3.1% for the current year.
NSC's daily returns have a 30-day standard deviation of 0.91%. Over the last 18 months, insiders sold $253K of stock and bought $1.3M. Sales like these are often scheduled ahead of time, so they carry less weight than open-market purchases.
NSC against the Industrials sector
How NSC compares with the median Industrials stock CleaRank tracks.
Price to earnings vs sector: Valuation is broadly in line with sector peers (-18% difference), suggesting fair market pricing relative to industry standards.
Return vs XLI: Since May 6, 2025, NSC has gained 49.5% against a gain of 25.7% for XLI.
Performance against XLI
NSC and the Industrials sector fund over the same days.
Revenue and earnings
How much NSC sells, and how much of it becomes profit.
Revenue growth: Revenue grew 0.5% in FY2025 to $12.2B, from $12.1B a year earlier.
Profit margin: The net margin was 23.6% in FY2025, up from 21.6% the year before.
Profitable: NSC earned $2.9B in FY2025.
Earnings reality check
Did NSC beat what analysts expected, and how did the stock react?
Earnings record: NSC beat the analyst estimate in 4 of the last 5 quarters.
Market reaction: The stock fell in the first session after 1 of those 4 beats, so a beat has not been enough on its own.
| Report | Estimate | Actual | Surprise | First session | 5 sessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 29, 2026after close | $2.76 | $3.22 | +16.67% | +0.37% | +5.77% |
| Oct 23, 2025after close | $3.20 | $3.30 | +3.13% | -1.17% | -0.78% |
| Jul 29, 2025after close | $3.31 | $3.29 | -0.60% | +0.47% | +0.78% |
| Apr 23, 2025after close | $2.68 | $2.69 | +0.37% | +2.13% | +0.95% |
| Jan 29, 2025after close | $2.94 | $3.04 | +3.40% | +0.18% | -1.65% |
Reports after January 29, 2026 are not yet in our data.
As of October 17, 2026, NSC has beaten the analyst EPS estimate in 4 of its last 5 reported quarters and fell in the first trading session after 1 of those beats; its most recent report in our data, on January 29, 2026, came in 16.67% above the estimate and the stock moved +0.37% in the first session.
The first session is the first full trading day on the news: the report day itself for a report before the open, the next day for one after the close. Surprise is actual EPS against the consensus estimate.
AI analysis and technicals
CleaRank's score and reasoning, the indicators behind it, and what the price moves with.
Momentum checks
2/3RSI not overbought or oversold ›
The 14-day RSI is 60.8, showing bullish momentum without being overbought.RSI above 50 ›
An RSI of 60.8 is above the 50 midpoint, so buyers have had the upper hand over the last 14 days.MACD line above zero ›
The MACD line is negative, so the 12-day average is below the 26-day average.
CleaRank AI analysis of NSC
The score, the reasoning behind it, and what could move the price next.
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) shows a mixed trend. At $326.92, the stock is 0.08% below its 50-day average of $327.18, yet 4.52% above its 200-day average of $312.80. That leaves the 50-day average 4.60% above the 200-day, while the price has dropped beneath the shorter average. Inside its 52-week range of $277.80 to $358.60, the price stands at 61% of the span, and it is 8.83% below the high.
The 14-day RSI of 60.8 is in the bullish zone, below the overbought line, while the MACD line is negative, so the two momentum readings point different ways. The short and long run point different ways: the price rose 3.13% over the past month, fell 3.89% over the past three months and rose 13.32% over the past year.
Earnings beat ›
The January 29, 2026 report beat the EPS estimate by 16.67%, and the share price rose 0.37% in the first session after it.
Source: Earnings report, January 29, 2026
Rating reaffirmed ›
Citigroup kept its Neutral rating on October 7, 2026.
Source: Analyst action, Citigroup, October 7, 2026
- Keep an eye on the two closest levels: the 52-week high at $358.60, which sits above the price, and the 20-day EMA at $319.84, which sits below it.
- The 14-day RSI is 60.8, which is in the bullish zone, and the MACD line is negative. Readings above 70 or below 30 point to stretched momentum.
- Following the January 29, 2026 report, the share price gained 0.37% in the first session. Across the last 5 reports, NSC has beaten estimates in 4 of them.
NSC is trading right at the 50-day SMA. The trend is mixed: NSC is above its 200-day average at $312.80 but below its 50-day average at $327.18. A close above the 50-day would turn both signals up, and a close below the 200-day would turn both down. The next levels are the 20-day EMA at $319.84 below and the 52-week high at $358.60 above.
Technical indicators
Momentum and trend for NSC, from its daily closes.
As of October 17, 2026, with NSC at $326.92, its 14-day RSI is 60.8 (showing bullish momentum without being overbought), its 50-day simple moving average is $327.18 and its 200-day is $312.80.
Calculated by CleaRank on daily closes as of October 17, 2026: Wilder's 14-day RSI, 50- and 200-day simple moving averages, MACD line (12, 26).
What NSC moves with
Correlation of daily returns over one year: +1 moves in step, 0 has no link, -1 moves the opposite way.
As of October 17, 2026, NSC's 1-year correlation of daily returns is +0.44 with S&P 500 (SPY), +0.30 with Nasdaq 100 (QQQ), -0.01 with Bitcoin (BTC) and +0.00 with gold (XAU).
What Wall Street expects
The analysts' target range and how their ratings split.
Analysts checks
1/3Most analysts rate it a buy ›
5 of 21 analysts rate it a buy or strong buy, 16 a hold and 0 a sell.Median target above the price ›
The median 12-month target of $354.50 is 8.4% above the price.More buy ratings than three months ago ›
5 of 21 rate it a buy now, against 5 of 21 three months ago.
NSC Wall Street View
12-month price targets
Ratings
Recent rating actions
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Neutral |
| Oct 5, 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Neutral |
| Oct 2, 2026 | Susquehanna | Maintains | Neutral |
| Jul 27, 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Market Perform |
| Jul 27, 2026 | Baird | Maintains | Neutral |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Neutral |
As of October 17, 2026, 21 Wall Street analysts cover NSC: 5 rate it a buy or strong buy, 16 a hold and 0 a sell or strong sell. Their 12-month price targets range from $297.00 to $400.00, with a median of $354.50, 8.4% above the price of $326.92.
Source: TwelveData analyst consensus. Targets and ratings belong to the analysts, not to CleaRank.
A trade plan, if you want one
Entry, stop and target levels from the moving averages and recent volatility. Educational, not advice.
NSC trade plan
Entry, stop and target levels, sized to your account. Change the bias or the risk and every level updates.
Long entry pick an entry style
Risk management
Profit targets (Based on Conservative Entry)
These levels come from NSC's moving averages and recent volatility, not from a forecast. Educational levels, not financial advice; the full disclaimer is at the foot of the page.
Risk profile
How much NSC tends to move, against the market and on its own.
The long record
NSC's worst falls and recoveries, what $10,000 became, and which months have been kind to it.
Track record checks
4/4Average daily move under 2% ›
The price has moved 0.91% on an average day (30-day standard deviation of daily returns).Recovered from its worst fall ›
The worst fall was 37.6%, from January 2020 to March 2020, regained by August 2020.Most 1-year holds ended higher ›
74% of 1-year holding periods in the last 10 years ended with a gain.Beat the S&P 500 since the chart begins ›
$10,000 invested in October 2016 is now worth $42,131, against $42,055 in the S&P 500 (SPY).
NSC Drawdowns & Recovery
As of October 17, 2026, NSC's worst peak-to-trough fall over the last 10 years with dividends reinvested was -37.6% (January 2020 to March 2020); it regained that peak by August 2020, 5 months after the low, and 74% of 1-year holding periods ended with a gain.
From weekly closing values with dividends reinvested. A drawdown is the fall from the highest value reached so far to a later low.
Growth of $10,000
What $10,000 put into NSC in October 2016 is worth now, against the same amount in the S&P 500.
Against the market: NSC beat the S&P 500 over this period: $42,131 against $42,055.
A $10,000 investment in NSC in October 2016 would be worth about $42,131 today with dividends reinvested, compared with about $42,055 for the same investment in the S&P 500 benchmark (also with dividends reinvested).
Seasonal patterns
Which calendar months have been kind to NSC, and which have not.
Strongest month, November: an average of +7.86%, up in 8 of 10 years.
Weakest month, March: an average of -4.66%, up in 3 of 10 years.
This month, October: has averaged -0.59%, up in 4 of 9 years. Past seasonality does not repeat on schedule.
Over the last 10 years, NSC's strongest calendar month has been November (average +7.86%, up in 8 of 10 years) and its weakest March (average -4.66%, up in 3 of 10 years).
Average return for each calendar month over the last 10 years, from weekly closing prices with dividends included.
Long-term scenarios
Thousands of simulated paths from the price history. A range of outcomes, not a forecast.
Monte Carlo projection
Thousands of simulated paths for $10,000 in NSC, from its own past volatility. The shaded area holds 80% of them.
CleaRank's 10-year Monte Carlo simulation projects that a $10,000 investment in NSC today could grow to about $23,137 by 2036 in the base case, with a 90th-percentile outcome near $70,326 and a 10th-percentile outcome around $7,612. The simulation models price only; at today's 1.65% yield, dividends would add to these figures. Projections are statistical simulations, not guarantees.
NSC Stock Price Prediction: 2030
The same simulation in share prices, year by year.
CleaRank's simulation projects a price near $457 for NSC by 2030 in the base case, from $327 today (1.4x over 4 years). The 10th-percentile path ends near $226. These are outcomes of a Monte Carlo simulation run on NSC's historical return distribution, not price targets, and they assume no dividends are reinvested.
| Year | 10th percentile | Base case | 90th percentile | range base today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | $250 | $356 | $505 | |
| 2028 | $235 | $387 | $636 | |
| 2029 | $229 | $420 | $773 | |
| 2030 | $226 | $457 | $924 | |
| 2031 | $227 | $497 | $1,091 |
Method: a lognormal simulation of NSC's own volatility and capped historical trend, re-run daily; base case is the median path, the outer columns the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Insider trading
What the people running the company have bought and sold.
NSC insider trading
Shares the company's directors and officers bought and sold, from their own filings.
Month by month
Open-market purchases above the line, sales below.
Insider buying: Insiders bought $1.3M on the open market and sold $253K.
As of October 17, 2026, NSC insiders reported 1 open-market sale worth $253K and 3 open-market purchases worth $1.3M over the last 18 months; grants and option exercises are not counted.
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Mark R. George
Chief Executive Officer
|
Grant | 2.7K | - |
| Apr 24, 2026 | John Frederick Orr
Chief Operating Officer
|
Grant | 8.3K | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Anil Bhatt
Officer
|
Grant | 861 | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Claude E Elkins
Officer
|
Grant | 1.3K | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Mark R. George
Chief Executive Officer
|
Grant | 3.7K | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Gilbert H Lamphere
Director
|
Grant | 700 | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Claiborne L. Moore
Officer
|
Grant | 673 | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | John Frederick Orr
Chief Operating Officer
|
Grant | 1.5K | - |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Jason Andrew Zampi
Chief Financial Officer
|
Grant | 1.1K | - |
| Jan 27, 2026 | Claude E Elkins
Officer
|
Grant | 1.0K | - |
| Jan 27, 2026 | Mark R. George
Chief Executive Officer
|
Grant | 1.4K | - |
| Jan 27, 2026 | Claiborne L. Moore
Officer
|
Grant | 501 | - |
| Jan 27, 2026 | Jason Andrew Zampi
Chief Financial Officer
|
Grant | 467 | - |
| Dec 5, 2025 | William Clyburn Jr.
Director
|
Buy | 204 | $60.1K |
| Nov 19, 2025 | Anil Bhatt
Chief Technology Officer
|
Sell | 900 | $253.4K |
| Nov 5, 2025 | Sameh Fahmy,
Director
|
Buy | 1.7K | $466.9K |
| Oct 27, 2025 | Richard H Anderson
Director
|
Buy | 2.6K | $732.8K |
| Oct 24, 2025 | Anil Bhatt
Chief Technology Officer
|
Grant | 3.5K | - |
| Oct 24, 2025 | Jason Andrew Zampi
Chief Financial Officer
|
Grant | 150 | - |
| Sep 12, 2025 | Mark R. George
Chief Executive Officer
|
Grant | 2.7K | - |
| Aug 1, 2025 | Gilbert H Lamphere
Director
|
Grant | 460 | - |
| Apr 25, 2025 | John Frederick Orr
Chief Operating Officer
|
Grant | 9.0K | - |
Source: TwelveData, from SEC Form 4 filings
Questions people ask
Answered from the figures on this page, as of October 17, 2026.