Norfolk Southern (NSC) Reports Q3 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

For the quarter ended September 2025, Norfolk Southern (NSC) reported revenue of $3.1 billion, up 1.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $3.30, compared to $3.25 in the year-ago quarter.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.09 billion, representing a surprise of +0.44%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +3.77%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $3.18.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:Railway Operating Ratio: 64.6% versus 63.7% estimated by four analysts on average.Carloads (Units) - Volume - Total: 1.8 million compared to the 1.8 million average estimate based on three analysts.Carloads (Units) - Volume - Intermodal: 1.03 million compared to the 1.03 million average estimate based on three analysts.Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise: 595.1 thousand versus 589.88 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.Carloads (Units) - Volume - Coal: 176.7 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 179.4 thousand.Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Agriculture, forest and consumer products: $630 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $639.63 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +1%.Railway operating revenues- Coal: $375 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $389.94 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -12.2%.Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Chemicals: $569 million versus $560.89 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.8% change.Railway operating revenues- Intermodal: $759 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $760.31 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -0.5%.Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Automotive: $322 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $299.46 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +17.5%.Railway operating revenues- Merchandise: $1.97 billion versus $1.95 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.8% change.Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Metals and construction: $448 million versus $452.58 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.7% change.View all Key Company Metrics for Norfolk Southern here>>>Shares of Norfolk Southern have returned -1.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge GainsQuantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks