Norfolk Southern (NSC) reported $3.07 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 5.1%. EPS of $2.83 for the same period compares to $3.42 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.11 billion, representing a surprise of -1.17%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -2.41%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $2.90.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers — revenue and earnings — and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company’s underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock’s price performance.
Here is how Norfolk Southern performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Railway Operating Ratio: 73.7% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 67%.
- Coal Tonnage – Domestic metallurgical: 2.8 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 2.77 thousand.
- Revenue per Carload (Unit) – Merchandise: $3,316 versus the three-analyst average estimate of $3,347.52.
- Revenue per Carload (Unit) – Coal: $2,515 versus $2,554.31 estimated by three analysts on average.
- Revenue per Carload (Unit) – Total: $1,763 compared to the $1,791.51 average estimate based on three analysts.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise: $1.85 billion compared to the $1.87 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.4% year over year.
- Railway operating revenues- Intermodal: $794 million versus $809.62 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -13% change.
- Railway operating revenues- Coal: $430 million compared to the $438.54 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -4% year over year.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Automotive: $296 million versus $285.29 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.1% change.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Chemicals: $512 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $522.85 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3%.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Metals and construction: $402 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $415.54 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3.1%.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Agriculture, Forest and Consumer Products: $639 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $647.38 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -2.3%.
View all Key Company Metrics for Norfolk Southern here>>>
Shares of Norfolk Southern have returned +0.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s +3.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
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