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NSC Stock Forecast: Norfolk Southern Corp. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 17 Sept 2026
$319
+0.62% on the day

The 21 Wall Street analysts covering Norfolk Southern Corp. hold a median 12-month price target of $370 — +15.8% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 75 of 100 as at 17 Sept 2026 — inside the top quartile. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$71.2B
Ticker Nerd rank
75 / 100
Median analyst target
$370
Analysts covering
21
Revenue$3.5B+11.4% y/y
Operating income$1.3B
Net income$734.0M
Free cash flow$615.0M
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 30 June 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
−1.3%
1M
−6.5%
YTD
+11.9%
1Y
+16.8%
From 52W high
−9.6%
From 52W low
+16.8%
$273
$353
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

NSC stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Norfolk Southern Corp. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 17 Sept 2026
75 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Revisions
97
Volatility
91
Issuance
89
Momentum
71
Quality
69
Accruals
51
Value
48
Growth
32
Size
4

Revisions (97): Analysts have, on balance, been raising their forecasts.

Growth (32): Sales and profits are flat, shrinking, or growing more slowly than they were.

Size (4): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

NSC stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on NSC, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$300$350$400Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26NSCHigh $414Median $370Low $297

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says21 analysts
5 Buy16 Hold0 Sell
Low $297Median $370High $414

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +15.8% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 12 moved their price target up and 1 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
27 July 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral$360 → $377
27 July 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsMarket Perform$310 → $355
24 July 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight$360 → $400
24 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$351 → $376
24 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$316 → $338
24 July 2026RBC CapitalMaintainsSector Perform$320 → $360
24 July 2026TD CowenMaintainsBuy$337 → $376
24 July 2026Wells FargoMaintainsOverweight$365 → $385
14 July 2026SusquehannaMaintainsNeutral—
14 July 2026SusquehannaMaintainsNeutral$337 → $360
10 July 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral—
10 July 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral$330 → $360
10 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral—
10 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$331 → $316
9 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral—
9 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$335 → $351
8 July 2026Wells FargoMaintainsOverweight—
8 July 2026Wells FargoMaintainsOverweight$350 → $365
28 Apr 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral—
27 Apr 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. NSC appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

NSC vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 17 Sept 2026, Norfolk Southern Corp. returned +16.8% against +17.0% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

NSC vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
100110120130Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26NSCS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

NSC analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
+6.8%
Analysts raising
0
Analysts cutting
0
Fundamentals

Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
27.0×

Cheaper than 28% of US stocks

Price / sales
5.7×

Cheaper than 22% of US stocks

Price / book
4.4×

Cheaper than 23% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
15.4×

Cheaper than 22% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
11.4%

Higher than 56% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
−4.4%

Higher than 31% of US stocks

Gross margin
37.4%

Higher than 46% of US stocks

Operating margin
35.3%

Higher than 90% of US stocks

Net margin
21.0%

Higher than 83% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
17.0%

Higher than 77% of US stocks

Return on assets
6.0%

Higher than 81% of US stocks

Dividend yield
1.7%

Higher than 39% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • Norfolk Southern Corp. has a market value of $71.2B and an enterprise value of $87.3B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $12.5B. The latest quarter grew 11.4% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: $2.6B, a 21.0% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $11.72.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $1.6B, after $1.8B of capital spending.

  • Norfolk Southern Corp. spent $87.0M on share buybacks and $1.2B on dividends in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.

  • Shares outstanding: 224.6M.

  • Trailing P/E: 27.0×; forward P/E: 22.1× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 1.70%, paying out 46% of earnings.

  • Norfolk Southern Corp. employs 19,300 people — $650K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 30 June 2026 · market figures as at 17 Sept 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

NSC vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelRailroads
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
NSCNorfolk Southern Corp.$71.2B
75
CNICanadian National Railway Co.$73.2B
85
CPCanadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd.$79.3B
53
CSXCSX Corp.$89.1B
84
WABWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp.$47.3B
69
UNPUnion Pacific Corp.$167.8B
89
FDXFedEx Corp.*$71.9B
73

* Nearest Industrials names by size — few railroads companies of this scale trade in the US universe.

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Norfolk Southern Corp. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest NSC news & analysis

Norfolk Southern Sees Fuel Hit but Eyes Freight Share Gains From Trucking

MarketBeat · 18 Sept 2026neutral

Norfolk Southern said higher fuel prices are expected to pressure its operating ratio in the second half of the year, reversing the tailwind management had anticipated two months earlier. The railroad also sees opportunities to gain freight share from trucking and plans to keep investing in service and capacity.

Why it matters — NSC watchers would care because the fuel-cost headwind directly affects the company's near-term efficiency metric, while potential freight share gains from trucking could bolster volumes and revenue growth.

More Than 500 Customers Back Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Combination as a Catalyst for American Growth

PRNewsWire · 16 Sept 2026positive

More than 500 customers across U.S. industries have expressed support for a Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern combination, citing expanded market access, stronger supply chains and new growth opportunities as key benefits.

Why it matters — Broad customer backing suggests the proposed combination could face industry goodwill, which a Norfolk Southern watcher would see as a favorable signal for the deal's prospects and potential growth.

CEO of Iconic Railroad Stock Unloads More Than 1,000 Shares

The Motley Fool · 16 Sept 2026neutral

Norfolk Southern CEO Mark R. George disposed of 1,035 shares at $323.30 per share on September 13, 2026. The transaction equaled 5% of the total direct equity position he held prior to the filing.

Why it matters — A NSC watcher would care because a five percent reduction in the CEO's direct equity stake represents a notable insider disposition that could signal changes in management's shareholding.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) Presents at Morgan Stanley's 14th Annual Laguna Conference Transcript

Seeking Alpha · 16 Sept 2026neutral

Norfolk Southern Corporation presented at Morgan Stanley's 14th Annual Laguna Conference, with a transcript of the presentation published by Seeking Alpha. The presentation covered the company's remarks at the investor conference.

Why it matters — A Norfolk Southern watcher would care because appearances at a major investor conference offer insight into how management communicates its strategy and outlook to the financial community.

SC Gov. Henry McMaster Voices Support for Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger

PRNewsWire · 15 Sept 2026positive

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster voiced support for the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern combination, citing potential economic growth, supply chain efficiency, and expanded opportunities for South Carolina businesses. The announcement adds to growing momentum for the proposed merger.

Why it matters — A sitting governor's public endorsement adds political support and momentum to the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern combination, which is directly relevant to NSC's outlook.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about NSC stock

What is the NSC stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 21 Wall Street analysts covering Norfolk Southern Corp. have a median 12-month price target of $370, with estimates ranging from $297 to $414. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is NSC stock a buy right now?

Of the 21 analysts covering Norfolk Southern Corp., 5 rate it a Buy, 16 a Hold and 0 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Norfolk Southern Corp. 75 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 17 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank NSC?

As at 17 Sept 2026, Norfolk Southern Corp. ranks 75 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Revisions (97 of 100).

Will NSC stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 21 analysts implies +15.8% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Norfolk Southern Corp. 75 out of 100 as at 17 Sept 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the NSC stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Norfolk Southern Corp. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for NSC are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $297 to $414 over the next 12 months.

How has NSC stock performed over the past year?

Norfolk Southern Corp. returned +16.8% over the 12 months to 17 Sept 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Norfolk Southern Corp. do?

Norfolk Southern Corp. is a transportation company and major freight railroad operator that moves raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods across the eastern United States.

What is the latest news on NSC?

The most recent item we track (MarketBeat, 18 Sept 2026): "Norfolk Southern Sees Fuel Hit but Eyes Freight Share Gains From Trucking". Norfolk Southern said higher fuel prices are expected to pressure its operating ratio in the second half of the year, reversing the tailwind management had anticipated two months earlier. The railroad also sees opportunities to gain freight share from trucking and plans to keep investing in service and capacity.

Company

About Norfolk Southern Corp.

Norfolk Southern Corp. is a transportation company and major freight railroad operator that moves raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods across the eastern United States. Norfolk Southern Corp. provides rail service for merchandise, intermodal containers, and coal, linking industrial plants, distribution centers, warehouses, and port gateways to support supply chains in agriculture, automotive, chemicals, metals, construction, and consumer goods. Its network also connects to other rail carriers, extending service to other parts of the country and supporting domestic and international freight flows. The company’s operations are centered on efficient rail transportation, terminal connectivity, and logistics services that help businesses move large volumes of freight across regional and national markets.

CEO Mr. Mark R. George · 19,300 employees · United States · https://www.norfolksouthern.com