TORVANTA
Industrials · S&P 500 · data as of 2026-10-05

NSC stock analysis: Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern (NSC) is an S&P 500 company in Rail Transportation. It grades weakest on growth.

The model's view of NSC · subscribers

Where NSC ranks among the 1,500 U.S. stocks the model scores each trading day, its expected return, the evidence for and against it, and whether the model portfolio holds it. The grades below describe the company's data; they are not the model's view.

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What's happening with NSC · updated 2026-10-05 · from prices and SEC filings

NSC price performance

NSC against the S&P 500, one year
+0%+10%+20%S&P 500 +18%NSC +7%2025-09-292026-10-05
Year to date+10.9%S&P 500 +14.5% · behind by 3.6 pts
1 year+7.2%S&P 500 +17.0% · behind by 9.8 pts
3 years+76.6%S&P 500 +89.3% · behind by 12.7 pts
5 years+37.5%S&P 500 +91.3% · behind by 53.8 pts

Total returns with dividends reinvested.

NSC factor grades

Each grade compares NSC with the rest of its sector (A+ best, F worst); the numbers behind it are shown with the typical figure for its peers.

CValueP/E 27.0x (sector 27.2x)FCF yield 2.3% (sector 4.0%)
DGrowthRevenue growth +3% (sector +7%)EPS growth -21% (sector +9%)
B-ProfitabilityOperating margin 32.2% (sector 16.9%)ROIC 20.8% (sector 19.9%)
B-Momentum12-month change +7%From 52-wk high -10%

NSC in plain numbers

NSC key statistics

SectorIndustrials
IndustryRail Transportation
IndexS&P 500
Market value$71.0B
Revenue growth (y/y)+3%
Free-cash-flow yield2.3%
Dividend yield1.7%
Next earnings (expected)2026-10-22
Valuation measures
Market value$71.0B
Enterprise value$70.0B
P/E (trailing)27.0x
Forward P/E (Torvanta estimate)27.5x
Price / sales5.7x
Price / book4.4x
EV / revenue5.6x
EV / EBITDA12.8x
Financial highlights
Revenue, last 12 months$12.5B
Net income, last 12 months$2.6B
EPS, last 12 months (GAAP)$11.72
Operating margin32.2%
Net margin21.0%
Return on equity17.0%
Return on invested capital20.8%
Cash$1.1B
Free cash flow, last 12 months$1.6B
Interest cover5.1x
Current ratio0.83x

Company figures from its latest SEC filings; market value and returns from end-of-day prices.

NSC earnings trends

Revenue vs earnings
$0$866.2M$1.7B$2.6B$3.5BSep 2024 Revenue: $3.1BDec 2024 Revenue: $3.0BMar 2025 Revenue: $3.0BJun 2025 Revenue: $3.1BSep 2025 Revenue: $3.1BDec 2025 Revenue: $3.0BMar 2026 Revenue: $3.0BJun 2026 Revenue: $3.5BSep 2024 Net income: $1.1BDec 2024 Net income: $733.0MMar 2025 Net income: $750.0MJun 2025 Net income: $768.0MSep 2025 Net income: $711.0MDec 2025 Net income: $644.0MMar 2026 Net income: $547.0MJun 2026 Net income: $734.0MSep 2024Dec 2024Mar 2025Jun 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Net margin: 36.0%Net margin: 24.2%Net margin: 25.1%Net margin: 24.7%Net margin: 22.9%Net margin: 21.7%Net margin: 18.2%Net margin: 21.2%0%18%36%■ Revenue ■ Net income ━ Net margin
Earnings per share$0.0$1.2$2.4$3.6$4.9Sep 2024 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $4.9Dec 2024 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $3.2Mar 2025 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $3.3Jun 2025 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $3.4Sep 2025 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $3.2Dec 2025 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $2.9Mar 2026 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $2.4Jun 2026 EPS (GAAP, diluted): $3.3Sep 2024Dec 2024Mar 2025Jun 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026■ EPS (GAAP, diluted) Change from a year earlier: Sep 2025 -35% · Dec 2025 -11% · Mar 2026 -27% · Jun 2026 -4%

From the company's 10-Q and 10-K filings with the SEC.

Norfolk Southern financials (from SEC filings)

Fiscal yearFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025
Revenue$11.1B$12.7B$12.2B$12.1B$12.2B
Net income$3.0B$3.3B$1.8B$2.6B$2.9B
EPS (GAAP)$12.12$13.91$8.02$11.56$12.75
Free cash flow$2.8B$2.3B$830.0M$1.7B$2.2B

NSC earnings history

ReportedEPS (GAAP)EPS y/yRevenue y/yStock vs S&P 500, 2 days
2026-07-23$3.26-4%+11%+7.1%
2026-04-24$2.43-27%+0%-1.7%
2026-01-29$2.87-11%-2%+2.9%
2025-10-23$3.16-35%+2%-4.2%
2025-07-29$3.41+5%+2%-2.2%
2025-04-23$3.31+1339%-0%-0.7%

About Norfolk Southern

HeadquartersAtlanta, GA
Industry (SEC code)Railroads, Line-Haul Operating
Fiscal year endsDecember 31
Incorporated inVA
Listed onNYSE

From the company's SEC registration record.

Companies similar to NSC

CompanyMarket valueP/ERevenue growthOperating margin12-month change
NSC Norfolk Southern$71.0B27.0x+3%32.2%+7%
CMI Cummins$72.0B26.7x+3%11.2%+23%compare
FDX FedEx$69.1B15.6x+8%5.8%+49%compare
HON Honeywell$67.9B9.8x-0%20.2%+6%compare
NOC Northrop Grumman$67.6B15.1x+6%10.7%-21%
URI United Rentals$67.3B27.4x+5%24.7%+10%
ITW Illinois Tool Works$75.2B24.0x+4%26.5%+4%

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Frequently asked questions

Is NSC stock a buy?

Torvanta does not tell individuals what to buy. Its grades for NSC are shown above. Subscribers see the model's rank, expected return and whether the model portfolio holds it. This is research, not a recommendation.

What is NSC's P/E ratio?

NSC trades at about 27.0 times its last 12 months of GAAP earnings reported to the SEC, and about 27.5 times Torvanta's own estimate of the next 12 months.

When does NSC report earnings next?

Based on its filing history, Torvanta expects Norfolk Southern to report around 2026-10-22.

Does NSC pay a dividend?

Yes. Its dividend yield is about 1.7%.

How has NSC performed against the S&P 500?

Over the past year NSC returned +7.2%, against +17.0% for the S&P 500, dividends reinvested.

See the model's view

Subscribers get the model's rank and expected return for every covered company, the reasoning behind each, and the Torvanta model portfolio's trades each trading day, sized and explained, at three risk levels.

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Torvanta is research only - not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Grades describe a company's reported data against its sector; they are not the model's view, change as data changes and can be wrong. Financial figures come from the company's SEC filings; returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results.

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