Unveiling Norfolk Southern (NSC) Q3 Outlook: Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics

Wall Street analysts expect Norfolk Southern (NSC) to post quarterly earnings of $3.18 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year decline of 2.2%. Revenues are expected to be $3.09 billion, up 1.3% from the year-ago quarter.Over the last 30 days, there has been a downward revision of 2.5% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.Ahead of a company's earnings disclosure, it is crucial to give due consideration to changes in earnings estimates. These revisions serve as a noteworthy factor in predicting potential investor reactions to the stock. Numerous empirical studies consistently demonstrate a strong relationship between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as indicators of quarterly business performance, exploring analysts' projections for specific key metrics can offer valuable insights.That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some Norfolk Southern metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.The consensus estimate for 'Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Agriculture, forest and consumer products' stands at $639.63 million. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +2.5%.Analysts' assessment points toward 'Railway operating revenues- Coal' reaching $389.94 million. The estimate points to a change of -8.7% from the year-ago quarter.It is projected by analysts that the 'Railway operating revenues- Merchandise- Chemicals' will reach $560.89 million. The estimate points to a change of +3.3% from the year-ago quarter.The average prediction of analysts places 'Railway operating revenues- Intermodal' at $760.31 million. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -0.4%.The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Railway Operating Ratio' will likely reach 63.7%. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 47.7% in the same quarter last year.Analysts forecast 'Revenue ton miles' to reach 44.60 billion. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 44.50 billion in the same quarter last year.The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise' of 589.88 thousand. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 563.90 thousand in the same quarter last year.Analysts expect 'Carloads (Units) - Volume - Intermodal' to come in at 1.03 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 1.05 million in the same quarter last year.Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Carloads (Units) - Volume - Total' should arrive at 1.80 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 1.80 million.Analysts predict that the 'Carloads (Units) - Volume - Coal' will reach 179.40 thousand. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 185.30 thousand in the same quarter of the previous year.The consensus among analysts is that 'Coal Tonnage - Total' will reach 20.16 thousand. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 20.79 thousand.According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Carloads (Units) - Volume - Merchandise - Agriculture, forest and consumer products' should come in at 184.04 thousand. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 186.30 thousand. View all Key Company Metrics for Norfolk Southern here>>> Over the past month, shares of Norfolk Southern have returned +2.1% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.1% change. Currently, NSC carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), suggesting that it may underperform the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.See This Stock Now for Free >>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