FrançaisAre analysts right about Norfolk Southern (NSC)?
📈 See the interactive version (live chart) →
Historical analyst accuracy
For Norfolk Southern, we replayed every analyst price target of the past 12 months and measured the real outcome: 41% were profitable, average return +10% (245 calls). At 3 months: +2% average return (41% profitable). The higher the %, the more often analysts were right on this stock.
Most reliable analysts on this stock (past track record)
Their past track record on this stock (targets replayed against real prices) — not a forecast of what will happen.
| Analyst / broker | Calls i | % profitable i | Avg return i |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley | 25 | 8% | -18% |
| Credit Suisse | 23 | 48% | +15% |
| Wells Fargo | 22 | 46% | +16% |
| B of A Securities | 19 | 53% | +10% |
| UBS | 16 | 56% | +24% |
Valuation
Is Norfolk Southern overvalued, and is it a good time to buy Norfolk Southern right now? If you're wondering, here's a recap to make up your own mind: Norfolk Southern's valuation vs its sector median, to weigh alongside analyst reliability (above) and past performance. Educational information, not buy advice.
The P/E (price ÷ earnings per share) = how many years of earnings you pay for the stock. The higher it is, the more growth the market expects — but the pricier the stock, so more vulnerable if growth disappoints. The forward P/E uses next year's expected earnings: lower than the current P/E = rising expected earnings. We compare it to the sector median to see whether the stock is expensive relative to its peers.
| Metric | Norfolk Southern | Sector median (Industrials) |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 30.1 | 29.2 |
| Forward P/E | 24.3 | 19.5 |
| Net margin | 21% | 11% |
👉 Norfolk Southern is valued in line with its sector (30.1 vs 29.2).
📖 P/E, PEG, margin…: see the glossary
💵 Dividend : Norfolk Southern pays about $5.40/share/yr → 1.69% yield. what is this?
Frequently asked questions
Is Norfolk Southern a buy right now?
The analyst consensus on Norfolk Southern (NSC) is "Hold" (13 bullish, 0 bearish calls over 12 months). This is not advice: historically, 41% of their targets on this stock turned out profitable over 1 year.
What is Norfolk Southern's price target?
The median 12-month price target is $360 (+4% vs $348), ranging from $313 to $400 (11 analysts).
Are analysts accurate on Norfolk Southern?
Over 1 year, 41% of analyst targets on Norfolk Southern were profitable, for an average return of +10% (across 245 timestamped calls). This is JPI Invest's accuracy metric.
What is the Norfolk Southern stock forecast?
Analysts target a median of $360 within 12 months, i.e. +4% vs the current price. The most bullish targets $400, the most cautious $313.
What is the Norfolk Southern stock forecast for 2026 or long term (2030)?
Note: analyst targets are 12-month (median $360, +4%), NOT 2030. No reliable 5-10 year price forecast exists (« 2030 prediction » models are speculative). The most useful inputs: the 12-month median above, these analysts' historical accuracy (41%), and the stock's past trajectory.
Is Norfolk Southern overvalued?
Its P/E is 30.1, forward P/E 24.3. A forward P/E lower than the current P/E means earnings are expected to grow.
📊 See the full interactive analysis of Norfolk Southern →
What is JPI Invest?
JPI Invest aggregates analyst recommendations across the entire S&P 500 (plus the S&P MidCap 400), replays them against real prices and measures who predicts best — on results, not reputation. Instead of taking a price target at face value, you see each analyst's track record on each stock.
- 🏆 Analyst leaderboard by real reliability (beating their sector, not just riding the rally)
- 🎯 What to buy: 3 backtested methods over 6 years, from cautious to aggressive
- 💬 AI assistant: ask anything about any stock, with the numbers
- 📊 Portfolio tracking + 🔔 price alerts by email
⚠️ Educational information, not investment advice. Analyst price targets are 12-month and can be wrong. Data via Yahoo Finance, recomputed by JPI Invest.