Back to top

Research Daily

Mark Vickery

Top Stock Reports for Texas Instruments, CSX & Norfolk Southern

TXN CSX NSC UBS DE EW

Trades from $3

Wednesday, May 26, 2021
 

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN), CSX Corp. (CSX) and Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC). These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.
 

You can see all of today’s research reports here >>>
 

Shares of Texas Instruments have outperformed the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry in the last one-year period (+60.2% vs. +39.6%). Additionally, Texas Instruments reported strong first quarter results wherein both earnings and revenues have topped the estimates.
 

The Zacks analyst believes that growth in the personal electronics market owing to the current work-from-home trend drove the top-line growth. Further, a rebound in the automotive market was a tailwind. Also, solid growth in the industrial market was a positive. Strong performance of Analog and Embedded Processing segments contributed well.
 

Further, the company’s portfolio of long-lived products and efficient manufacturing strategies are other positives. Also, continuous returns to shareholders are likely to instill investor optimism in the stock. However, coronavirus related uncertainties remain major headwinds.
 

(You can read the full research report on Texas Instruments here >>>)
 

Shares of CSX have gained +6.6% in the last three months against the Zacks Transportation - Rail industry’s gain of +5.4%. The Zacks analyst believes that CSX is benefiting from robust intermodal volumes, thanks to strong demand for transportation services due to inventory replenishment and higher volumes from East Coast ports.
 

With freight volumes improving as the economy continues to recover, CSX hopes to achieve double-digit revenue growth in the current year. The company’s efforts to reward shareholders are encouraging. Its sound liquidity position is an added positive.
 

However, weakness in merchandise and coal volumes is a major cause for concern. With coronavirus concerns continuing, there remains uncertainty surrounding the company’s prospects. CSX’s high capital expenditures are also worrisome as it has the potential to hurt the bottom line.
 

(You can read the full research report on CSX here >>>)
 

Norfolk Southern shares have outperformed the Zacks Transportation – Rail industry in the year-to-date period (+17.0% vs. +8.8%). In fact, Norfolk Southern reported better-than-expected earnings per share and revenues in first-quarter 2021. Both metrics also improved year over year. Results were aided by the 3% rise in overall volumes. Operating ratio (operating expenses as a % of revenues) improved in the quarter owing to low costs and higher revenues.
 

However, disappointing performance of the Merchandise segment in the quarter is concerning. Segmental revenues and volumes declined 4% and 3% year over year in the March quarter. Nevertheless, the Zacks analyst is impressed by the company's commitment to reward its shareholders even in the current turbulent scenario. In first-quarter 2021, the company paid $840 million to its shareholders through dividends and buybacks. A strong free cash flow generation too supports its shareholder-friendly activities.
 

(You can read the full research report on Norfolk Southern here >>>)
 

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Deere & Company (DE), Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (EW) and UBS Group AG (UBS).
 

+1,500% Growth: One of 2021’s Most Exciting Investment Opportunities
 

In addition to the stocks you read about above, would you like to see Zacks’ top picks to capitalize on the Internet of Things (IoT)? It is one of the fastest-growing technologies in history, with an estimated 77 billion devices to be connected by 2025. That works out to 127 new devices per second.
 

Zacks has released a special report to help you capitalize on the Internet of Things’s exponential growth. It reveals 4 under-the-radar stocks that could be some of the most profitable holdings in your portfolio in 2021 and beyond.
 

Click here to download this report FREE >>
 

Mark Vickery
Senior Editor

 

Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>>

Featured Reports

New Upgrades

New Downgrades