NSC
Norfolk Southern Corporation Industrials - Railroads Investor Relations →
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) closed at $315.90 as of 2026-05-01, trading 33.2% above its 200-week moving average of $237.08. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 35.2% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 64, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.0x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.89 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2243 weeks of data, NSC has crossed below its 200-week moving average 26 times. On average, these episodes lasted 12 weeks. Historically, investors who bought NSC at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +17.6%.
With a market cap of $70.9 billion, NSC is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 1.8%. Return on equity stands at 17.6%, a solid level. The stock trades at 4.5x book value.
Over the past 33.3 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in NSC would have grown to $3239, compared to $2973 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 11.0% vs 10.7% for the index — confirming NSC as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
In the past 12 months, corporate insiders have made 3 open-market purchases totaling $1,259,860.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: NSC vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After NSC Crosses Below the Line?
Across 23 historical episodes, buying NSC when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +14.7% after 12 months (median +12.0%), compared to +17.3% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 74% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +39.8% vs +28.8% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment NSC crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
NSC has crossed below its 200-week MA 26 times with an average 1-year return of +17.6% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1984 | Jul 1984 | 10 | 7.6% | +36.1% | +16340.0% |
| Nov 1987 | Nov 1987 | 1 | 1.0% | +37.2% | +10568.3% |
| Nov 1987 | Dec 1987 | 1 | 5.6% | +41.7% | +11027.9% |
| Jan 1999 | Feb 1999 | 1 | 2.2% | -35.6% | +1994.8% |
| Feb 1999 | Mar 1999 | 2 | 1.8% | -45.5% | +1942.2% |
| Mar 1999 | Apr 1999 | 3 | 8.7% | -46.5% | +1984.0% |
| Aug 1999 | Jan 2002 | 129 | 52.8% | -29.7% | +1895.0% |
| Feb 2002 | Feb 2002 | 2 | 0.7% | -8.8% | +2379.2% |
| May 2002 | May 2002 | 1 | 1.4% | +5.2% | +2441.8% |
| Jul 2002 | Aug 2002 | 3 | 8.1% | -0.2% | +2545.6% |
| Nov 2002 | Dec 2002 | 6 | 2.3% | +7.4% | +2521.2% |
| Jan 2003 | Apr 2003 | 12 | 7.5% | +20.4% | +2598.5% |
| Aug 2003 | Aug 2003 | 1 | 0.6% | +52.7% | +2713.8% |
| Nov 2008 | Aug 2009 | 41 | 42.6% | +16.4% | +937.5% |
| Sep 2009 | Nov 2009 | 7 | 9.7% | +29.4% | +896.0% |
| Jan 2010 | Feb 2010 | 2 | 2.2% | +31.5% | +874.0% |
| Nov 2012 | Nov 2012 | 1 | 0.4% | +58.9% | +654.0% |
| Aug 2015 | Nov 2015 | 12 | 6.4% | +21.0% | +406.3% |
| Jan 2016 | Mar 2016 | 10 | 16.1% | +47.7% | +403.8% |
| Apr 2016 | Apr 2016 | 2 | 0.6% | +45.8% | +376.7% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 3 | 13.4% | +114.5% | +188.8% |
| Sep 2022 | Oct 2022 | 4 | 4.0% | -3.8% | +63.0% |
| Mar 2023 | Jun 2023 | 16 | 9.8% | +26.5% | +60.6% |
| Jul 2023 | Dec 2023 | 19 | 17.9% | +11.1% | +49.5% |
| May 2024 | Jul 2024 | 11 | 7.6% | -0.8% | +42.3% |
| Mar 2025 | May 2025 | 8 | 9.0% | +23.8% | +39.1% |
| Average | 12 | — | +17.6% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NSC below its 200-week moving average?
No. Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC) is currently 33.2% above its 200-week moving average of $237.08. It would need to fall to $237.08 to cross below the line.
What is NSC's 200-week moving average price?
Norfolk Southern Corporation's 200-week moving average is $237.08 as of 2026-05-01. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when NSC drops below its 200-week moving average?
NSC has crossed below its 200-week moving average 26 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +17.6%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 12 weeks on average.
Is NSC a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about NSC as of 2026-05-01: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 64. Free cash flow yield is 1.8%. Return on equity is 17.6%. Price-to-book is 4.5x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does NSC compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.3 years, $100 invested in NSC would have grown to $3239, compared to $2973 for the S&P 500. That's 11.0% annualized vs 10.7% for the index. NSC has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does NSC pay a dividend?
Yes. Norfolk Southern Corporation currently pays a dividend yield of 171.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-05-01