For the quarter ended June 2025, Norfolk Southern (NSC) reported revenue of $3.11 billion, up 2.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $3.29, compared to $3.06 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.76% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.13 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $3.27, the EPS surprise was +0.61%.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
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:
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Total: 1.79 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of 1.81 million.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Coal: 181.7 thousand compared to the 176.35 thousand average estimate based on four analysts.
- Railway Operating Ratio: 63.4% compared to the 62.6% average estimate based on four analysts.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Agriculture, forest and consumer products: 186.4 thousand versus the four-analyst average estimate of 185.49 thousand.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Automotive: 104 thousand versus the four-analyst average estimate of 99.12 thousand.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Agriculture, forest and consumer products: $645 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $643.81 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.7%.
- Railway operating revenues- Coal: $395 million versus $396.48 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -0.8% change.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Chemicals: $546 million versus $549.39 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2.6% change.
- Railway operating revenues- Intermodal: $743 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $765.09 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.1%.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Automotive: $323 million versus $311.33 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.2% change.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise: $1.97 billion compared to the $1.97 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.6% year over year.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Metals and construction: $458 million versus $449.09 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.1% change.
View all Key Company Metrics for Norfolk Southern here>>>
Shares of Norfolk Southern have returned +11.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.
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Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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