For the quarter ended March 2025, Norfolk Southern (NSC) reported revenue of $2.99 billion, down 0.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.69, compared to $2.49 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.06% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.99 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.72, the EPS surprise was -1.10%.
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.
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:
- Railway Operating Ratio: 61.7% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 66.9%.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Automotive: 88.3 thousand versus the four-analyst average estimate of 89.3 thousand.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Metals and construction: 148.3 thousand versus 159.56 thousand estimated by four analysts on average.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Chemicals: 132 thousand compared to the 128.97 thousand average estimate based on four analysts.
- Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Agriculture, forest and consumer products: 183.6 thousand compared to the 184.98 thousand average estimate based on four analysts.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise: $1.86 billion compared to the $1.86 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of 0% year over year.
- Railway operating revenues- Intermodal: $760 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $764.55 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +2%.
- Railway operating revenues- Coal: $370 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $371.62 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -6.6%.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Automotive: $278 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $283.17 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.4%.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Chemicals: $535 million versus $528.41 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +1.5% change.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Metals and construction: $414 million compared to the $424.28 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3.7% year over year.
- Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Agriculture, forest and consumer products: $636 million compared to the $634.44 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1.1% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Norfolk Southern here>>>
Shares of Norfolk Southern have returned -6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -6.6% 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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