UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
 
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended SEPTEMBER 30, 2022March 31, 2023

   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
For the transition period from ___________ to___________
 
Commission File Number: 1-8339

nslogoq217a12.jpg
 
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 
Virginia52-1188014
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
650 West Peachtree Street NW30308-1925
Atlanta,Georgia
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
(855)667-3655
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
No change
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each classTrading SymbolName of each exchange on which registered
Norfolk Southern Corporation Common Stock (Par Value $1.00)NSCNew York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  No
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).     Yes  No
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. 
Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes   No

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
Class Outstanding at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023
Common Stock ($1.00 par value per share)231,514,213227,639,602 (excluding 20,320,777 shares held by the registrant’s
consolidated subsidiaries)




TABLE OF CONTENTS

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
  Page
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


2


PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
  
Item 1. Financial Statements
 
Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)
 
Third QuarterFirst Nine Months First Quarter
2022202120222021 20232022
($ in millions, except per share amounts) ($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Railway operating revenuesRailway operating revenues$3,343 $2,852 $9,508 $8,290 Railway operating revenues$3,132 $2,915 
Railway operating expensesRailway operating expenses    Railway operating expenses  
Compensation and benefitsCompensation and benefits735 609 1,968 1,844 Compensation and benefits690 619 
Purchased services and rentsPurchased services and rents484 432 1,402 1,254 Purchased services and rents496 437 
FuelFuel383 208 1,092 573 Fuel315 301 
DepreciationDepreciation306 297 912 883 Depreciation321 302 
Materials and otherMaterials and other163 170 506 418 Materials and other212 171 
Eastern Ohio incidentEastern Ohio incident387 — 
Total railway operating expensesTotal railway operating expenses2,071 1,716 5,880 4,972 Total railway operating expenses2,421 1,830 
Income from railway operationsIncome from railway operations1,272 1,136 3,628 3,318 Income from railway operations711 1,085 
Other income (expense) – netOther income (expense) – net(2)14 (21)56 Other income (expense) – net56 (5)
Interest expense on debtInterest expense on debt177 164 515 481 Interest expense on debt175 168 
Income before income taxesIncome before income taxes1,093 986 3,092 2,893 Income before income taxes592 912 
Income taxesIncome taxes135 233 612 648 Income taxes126 209 
Net incomeNet income$958 $753 $2,480 $2,245 Net income$466 $703 
Earnings per shareEarnings per share    Earnings per share  
BasicBasic$4.11 $3.07 $10.49 $9.03 Basic$2.04 $2.94 
DilutedDiluted4.10 3.06 10.45 8.99 Diluted2.04 2.93 
 
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
3


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(Unaudited)
 
 Third QuarterFirst Nine Months
2022202120222021
 ($ in millions)
Net income$958 $753 $2,480 $2,245 
Other comprehensive income, before tax:  
Pension and other postretirement benefits10 17 31 
Other comprehensive income of equity investees— 13 — 
Other comprehensive income, before tax11 10 30 31 
Income tax expense related to items of other
comprehensive income— (3)(5)(8)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax11 25 23 
Total comprehensive income$969 $760 $2,505 $2,268 
 First Quarter
20232022
 ($ in millions)
Net income$466 $703 
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Pension and other postretirement benefit (expense)(5)
Other comprehensive income (loss) of equity investees(1)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax(6)12 
Income tax benefit (expense) related to items of other
comprehensive income (loss)(4)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax(4)
Total comprehensive income$462 $711 
 
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
4


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
September 30,
2022
December 31,
2021
March 31,
2023
December 31,
2022
($ in millions)($ in millions)
AssetsAssets  Assets  
Current assets:Current assets:  Current assets:  
Cash and cash equivalentsCash and cash equivalents$1,214 $839 Cash and cash equivalents$552 $456 
Accounts receivable – netAccounts receivable – net1,151 976 Accounts receivable – net1,170 1,148 
Materials and suppliesMaterials and supplies276 218 Materials and supplies262 253 
Other current assetsOther current assets74 134 Other current assets138 150 
Total current assetsTotal current assets2,715 2,167 Total current assets2,122 2,007 
InvestmentsInvestments3,686 3,707 Investments3,738 3,694 
Properties less accumulated depreciation of $12,445 
and $12,031, respectively31,838 31,653 
Properties less accumulated depreciation of $12,810Properties less accumulated depreciation of $12,810 
and $12,592, respectivelyand $12,592, respectively32,240 32,156 
Other assetsOther assets1,067 966 Other assets1,069 1,028 
Total assetsTotal assets$39,306 $38,493 Total assets$39,169 $38,885 
Liabilities and stockholders’ equityLiabilities and stockholders’ equity  Liabilities and stockholders’ equity  
Current liabilities:Current liabilities:  Current liabilities:  
Accounts payableAccounts payable$1,486 $1,351 Accounts payable$1,315 $1,293 
Short-term debtShort-term debt— 100 
Income and other taxesIncome and other taxes299 305 Income and other taxes438 312 
Other current liabilitiesOther current liabilities408 312 Other current liabilities668 341 
Current maturities of long-term debtCurrent maturities of long-term debt605 553 Current maturities of long-term debt403 603 
Total current liabilitiesTotal current liabilities2,798 2,521 Total current liabilities2,824 2,649 
Long-term debtLong-term debt14,463 13,287 Long-term debt14,585 14,479 
Other liabilitiesOther liabilities1,828 1,879 Other liabilities1,785 1,759 
Deferred income taxesDeferred income taxes7,193 7,165 Deferred income taxes7,248 7,265 
Total liabilitiesTotal liabilities26,282 24,852 Total liabilities26,442 26,152 
Stockholders’ equity:Stockholders’ equity:  Stockholders’ equity:  
Common stock $1.00 per share par value, 1,350,000,000 sharesCommon stock $1.00 per share par value, 1,350,000,000 shares  Common stock $1.00 per share par value, 1,350,000,000 shares  
authorized; outstanding 231,514,213 and 240,162,790 shares,  
authorized; outstanding 227,639,602 and 228,076,415 shares, authorized; outstanding 227,639,602 and 228,076,415 shares,  
respectively, net of treasury shares respectively, net of treasury shares233 242  respectively, net of treasury shares229 230 
Additional paid-in capitalAdditional paid-in capital2,181 2,215 Additional paid-in capital2,155 2,157 
Accumulated other comprehensive lossAccumulated other comprehensive loss(377)(402)Accumulated other comprehensive loss(355)(351)
Retained incomeRetained income10,987 11,586 Retained income10,698 10,697 
Total stockholders’ equityTotal stockholders’ equity13,024 13,641 Total stockholders’ equity12,727 12,733 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equityTotal liabilities and stockholders’ equity$39,306 $38,493 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity$39,169 $38,885 
 
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
5


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
 
 First Nine Months First Three Months
 20222021 20232022
 ($ in millions) ($ in millions)
Cash flows from operating activitiesCash flows from operating activities  Cash flows from operating activities  
Net income$2,480 $2,245 Net income$466 $703 
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:  Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:  
Depreciation912 883 Depreciation321 302 
Deferred income taxes23 158 Deferred income taxes(15)48 
Gains and losses on properties(54)(80)Gains and losses on properties(4)(6)
Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations:  Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations:  
Accounts receivable(174)(102)Accounts receivable(22)(94)
Materials and supplies(58)(14)Materials and supplies(9)(46)
Other current assets57 57 Other current assets12 21 
Current liabilities other than debt273 294 Current liabilities other than debt480 83 
Other – net(35)(128)Other – net(56)(17)
Net cash provided by operating activities3,424 3,313 Net cash provided by operating activities1,173 994 
Cash flows from investing activitiesCash flows from investing activities  Cash flows from investing activities  
Property additions(1,282)(1,025)Property additions(428)(389)
Property sales and other transactions193 135 Property sales and other transactions20 36 
Investment purchases(8)(5)Investment purchases— (1)
Investment sales and other transactions37 48 Investment sales and other transactions17 19 
Net cash used in investing activities(1,060)(847)Net cash used in investing activities(391)(335)
Cash flows from financing activitiesCash flows from financing activities  Cash flows from financing activities  
Dividends(881)(764)Dividends(307)(297)
Common stock transactions(5)Common stock transactions(10)(18)
Purchase and retirement of common stock(2,284)(2,460)Purchase and retirement of common stock(163)(600)
Proceeds from borrowings1,732 1,676 Proceeds from borrowings594 989 
Debt repayments(551)(576)Debt repayments(800)(1)
Net cash used in financing activities(1,989)(2,116)Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities(686)73 
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents375 350 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents96 732 
Cash and cash equivalentsCash and cash equivalents  Cash and cash equivalents  
At beginning of year839 1,115 At beginning of year456 839 
At end of period$1,214 $1,465 At end of period$552 $1,571 
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow informationSupplemental disclosures of cash flow information  Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information  
Cash paid during the period for:  Cash paid during the period for:  
Interest (net of amounts capitalized)$425 $391 Interest (net of amounts capitalized)$129 $114 
Income taxes (net of refunds)578 468 Income taxes (net of refunds)(1)

 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
6


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
(Unaudited)

Common
Stock
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
Accum. Other
Comprehensive
Loss
Retained
Income
TotalCommon
Stock
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
Accum. Other
Comprehensive
Loss
Retained
Income
Total
($ in millions, except per share amounts) ($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Balance at December 31, 2021$242 $2,215 $(402)$11,586 $13,641 
Balance at December 31, 2022Balance at December 31, 2022$230 $2,157 $(351)$10,697 $12,733 
Comprehensive income:Comprehensive income:Comprehensive income:
Net incomeNet income703 703 Net income466 466 
Other comprehensive income
Other comprehensive lossOther comprehensive loss(4)(4)
Total comprehensive incomeTotal comprehensive income711 Total comprehensive income462 
Dividends on common stock,Dividends on common stock,Dividends on common stock,
$1.24 per share(297)(297)
$1.35 per share$1.35 per share(307)(307)
Share repurchasesShare repurchases(2)(19)(579)(600)Share repurchases(1)(6)(156)(163)
Stock-based compensationStock-based compensation(1)Stock-based compensation(2)
Balance at March 31, 2022240 2,203 (394)11,412 13,461 
Balance at March 31, 2023Balance at March 31, 2023$229 $2,155 $(355)$10,698 $12,727 
Comprehensive income:
Net income819 819 
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income825 
Dividends on common stock,
$1.24 per share(294)(294)
Share repurchases(4)(29)(821)(854)
Stock-based compensation16 16 
Balance at June 30, 2022236 2,190 (388)11,116 13,154 
Comprehensive income:
Net income958 958 
Other comprehensive income11 11 
Total comprehensive income969 
Dividends on common stock,
$1.24 per share(290)(290)
Share repurchases(3)(31)(796)(830)
Stock-based compensation22 (1)21 
Balance at September 30, 2022$233 $2,181 $(377)$10,987 $13,024 

Common
Stock
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
Accum. Other
Comprehensive
Loss
Retained
Income
Total
($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Balance at December 31, 2021$242 $2,215 $(402)$11,586 $13,641 
Comprehensive income:
Net income703 703 
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income711 
Dividends on common stock,
$1.24 per share(297)(297)
Share repurchases(2)(19)(579)(600)
Stock-based compensation(1)
Balance at March 31, 2022$240 $2,203 $(394)$11,412 $13,461 

 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
7


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
(Unaudited)

Common
Stock
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
Accum. Other
Comprehensive
Loss
Retained
Income
Total
($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Balance at December 31, 2020$254 $2,248 $(594)$12,883 $14,791 
Comprehensive income:
Net income673 673 
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income681 
Dividends on common stock,
$0.99 per share(249)(249)
Share repurchases(3)(19)(569)(591)
Stock-based compensation12 (1)11 
Balance at March 31, 2021251 2,241 (586)12,737 14,643 
Comprehensive income:
Net income819 819 
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income827 
Dividends on common stock,
$0.99 per share(247)(247)
Share repurchases(3)(28)(903)(934)
Stock-based compensation27 28 
Balance at June 30, 2021248 2,240 (578)12,407 14,317 
Comprehensive income:
Net income753 753 
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income760 
Dividends on common stock,
$1.09 per share(268)(268)
Share repurchases(4)(31)(900)(935)
Stock-based compensation15 (2)13 
Balance at September 30, 2021$244 $2,224 $(571)$11,990 $13,887 

See accompanying notes toconsolidatedfinancialstatements.
8


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
 
In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly Norfolk Southern Corporation (Norfolk Southern) and subsidiaries’ (collectively, NS, we, us, and our) financial position at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021,2022, our results of operations, comprehensive income and changes in stockholders’ equity for the thirdfirst quarters of 2023 and first nine months of 2022, and 2021, and our cash flows for the first ninethree months of 20222023 and 20212022 in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
 
These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K.

1. Railway Operating Revenues

The following table disaggregates our revenues by major commodity group:
Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
202220212022202120232022
($ in millions)($ in millions)
Merchandise:Merchandise:Merchandise:
Agriculture, forest and consumer productsAgriculture, forest and consumer products$642 $564 $1,839 $1,681 Agriculture, forest and consumer products$653 $573 
ChemicalsChemicals570 504 1,620 1,457 Chemicals541 498 
Metals and constructionMetals and construction442 424 1,237 1,196 Metals and construction400 375 
AutomotiveAutomotive276 218 759 664 Automotive284 226 
MerchandiseMerchandise1,930 1,710 5,455 4,998 Merchandise1,878 1,672 
IntermodalIntermodal942 812 2,768 2,332 Intermodal814 854 
CoalCoal471 330 1,285 960 Coal440 389 
TotalTotal$3,343 $2,852 $9,508 $8,290 Total$3,132 $2,915 

We recognize the amount of revenues to which we expect to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. A performance obligation is created when a customer under a transportation contract or public tariff submits a bill of lading to us for the transport of goods. These performance obligations are satisfied as the shipments move from origin to destination. As such, transportation revenues are recognized proportionally as a shipment moves, and related expenses are recognized as incurred. These performance obligations are generally short-term in nature with transit days averaging approximately one week or less for each commodity group. The customer has an unconditional obligation to pay for the service once the service has been completed. Estimated revenues associated with in-process shipments at period-end are recorded based on the estimated percentage of service completed. We had no material remaining performance obligations at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021.2022.

We may provide customers ancillary services, such as switching, demurrage and other incidental activities, under their transportation contracts. These areThe revenues associated with these distinct performance obligations that are recognized at a point in time when the services are performed or as contractual obligations are met. These revenues are included within each of the commodity groups and represent a percentageapproximately 6% and 7% of total “Railway operating revenues” on the Consolidated Statements of Income as follows: 7% for the third quarters of 2022 and 2021, and the first nine months of 2022, and 6% for the first nine monthsquarters of 2021.2023 and 2022, respectively.


9


Revenues related to interline transportation services that involve another railroad are reported on a net basis. Therefore, the portion of the amount that relates to another party is not reflected in revenues.


8


Under the typical terms of our freight contracts, payment for services is due within fifteen days of billing the customer, thus there are no significant financing components. “Accounts receivable – net” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets includes both customer and non-customer receivables as follows:

September 30,
2022
December 31, 2021March 31,
2023
December 31, 2022
($ in millions)($ in millions)
CustomerCustomer$901 $741 Customer$919 $895 
Non-customerNon-customer250 235 Non-customer251 253 
Accounts receivable – net Accounts receivable – net$1,151 $976  Accounts receivable – net$1,170 $1,148 

Non-customer receivables include non-revenue relatednon-revenue-related amounts due from other railroads, governmental entities, and others. There were no non-current customer receivables at September 30, 2022, while “Other assets” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets included $23 million at December 31, 2021. We do not have any material contract assets or liabilities at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021.2022.


2.  Stock-Based Compensation

Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
202220212022202120232022
($ in millions)($ in millions)
Stock-based compensation expenseStock-based compensation expense$13 $14 $49 $46 Stock-based compensation expense$11 $23 
Total tax benefitTotal tax benefit24 28 Total tax benefit13 

During 2022,the first quarter of 2023, we granted stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs) and performance share units (PSUs) pursuant to the Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP), as follows:

Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
GrantedWeighted-Average Grant-Date Fair ValueGrantedWeighted-Average Grant-Date Fair ValueGrantedWeighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Stock optionsStock options6,000 $74.95 139,810 $61.30 Stock options69,580 $77.60 
RSUsRSUs9,993 240.63 173,984 266.72 RSUs173,221 237.70 
PSUsPSUs6,960 256.12 58,415 272.48 PSUs58,040 236.68 


109


Stock Options
Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
202220212022202120232022
($ in millions)($ in millions)
Options exercisedOptions exercised116,88122,502 275,770 363,982 Options exercised66,811119,343 
Cash received upon exerciseCash received upon exercise$$$23 $33 Cash received upon exercise$$10 
Related tax benefits realizedRelated tax benefits realized11 13 Related tax benefits realized

Restricted Stock Units

RSUs granted primarily have a four-year ratable restriction period and will be settled through the issuance of shares of Norfolk Southern common stock (Common Stock). Certain RSU grants include cash dividend equivalent payments during the restriction period in an amount equal to the regular quarterly dividends paid on Common Stock. 
Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
202220212022202120232022
($ in millions)($ in millions)
RSUs vestedRSUs vested557 1,100 247,510 260,227 RSUs vested149,122 243,301 
Common Stock issued net of tax withholdingCommon Stock issued net of tax withholding397 761 175,373 184,272 Common Stock issued net of tax withholding104,608 172,364 
Related tax benefits realizedRelated tax benefits realized$— $— $$Related tax benefits realized$$

Performance Share Units

PSUs provide for awards based on the achievement of certain predetermined corporate performance goals at the end of a three-year cycle and are settled through the issuance of shares of Common Stock. All PSUs will earn out based on the achievement of performance conditions and some will also earn out based on a market condition. The market condition fair value was measured on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo simulation model. No PSUs were
earned or paid out during the third quarters of 2022 or 2021.

First Nine Months
20222021
($ in millions)
PSUs earned86,420 78,727 
Common Stock issued net of tax withholding54,651 49,967 
Related tax benefits realized$$

3. Income Taxes

On July 8, 2022, House Bill 1342 was signed into law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which reduced its corporate income tax rate from 9.99% to 4.99%, through a series of phased reductions beginning each tax year from January 1, 2023 through January 1, 2031. GAAP requires companies to recognize the effect of tax law changes in the period of enactment. As a result, in the third quarter we recognized a $136 million benefit in “Income taxes” with a corresponding reduction in “Deferred income taxes.”
First Quarter
20232022
($ in millions)
PSUs earned58,599 86,420 
Common Stock issued net of tax withholding40,255 54,651 
Related tax benefits realized$— $


1110


4.3.  Earnings Per Share

The following table sets forth the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share:

BasicDiluted BasicDiluted
Third Quarter First Quarter
2022202120222021 2023202220232022
($ in millions, except per share amounts,
shares in millions)
($ in millions, except per share amounts,
shares in millions)
Net incomeNet income$958 $753 $958 $753 Net income$466 $703 $466 $703 
Dividend equivalent paymentsDividend equivalent payments— (1)— — Dividend equivalent payments(1)— — — 
Income available to common stockholdersIncome available to common stockholders$958 $752 $958 $753 Income available to common stockholders$465 $703 $466 $703 
Weighted-average shares outstandingWeighted-average shares outstanding233.2 245.3 233.2 245.3 Weighted-average shares outstanding227.7 239.3 227.7 239.3 
Dilutive effect of outstanding options and share-settled awardsDilutive effect of outstanding options and share-settled awards  0.8 1.1 Dilutive effect of outstanding options and share-settled awards  0.6 0.9 
Adjusted weighted-average shares outstandingAdjusted weighted-average shares outstanding  234.0 246.4 Adjusted weighted-average shares outstanding  228.3 240.2 
Earnings per shareEarnings per share$4.11 $3.07 $4.10 $3.06 Earnings per share$2.04 $2.94 $2.04 $2.93 
BasicDiluted
First Nine Months
2022202120222021
($ in millions, except per share amounts,
shares in millions)
Net income$2,480 $2,245 $2,480 $2,245 
Dividend equivalent payments(1)(2)(1)— 
Income available to common stockholders$2,479 $2,243 $2,479 $2,245 
Weighted-average shares outstanding236.4 248.5 236.4 248.5 
Dilutive effect of outstanding options and share-settled awards  0.8 1.2 
Adjusted weighted-average shares outstanding 237.2 249.7 
Earnings per share$10.49 $9.03 $10.45 $8.99 

During the thirdfirst quarters of 2023 and first nine months of 2022, and 2021, dividend equivalent payments were made to certain holders of stock options and RSUs.  For purposes of computing basic earnings per share, dividend equivalent payments made to holders of stock options and RSUs were deducted from net income to determine income available to common stockholders. For purposes of computing diluted earnings per share, we evaluate on a grant-by-grant basis those stock options and RSUs receiving dividend equivalent payments under the two-class and treasury stock methods to determine which method is more dilutive for each grant. For those grants for which the two-class method was more dilutive, net income was reduced by dividend equivalent payments to determine income available to common stockholders. The dilution calculations exclude options having exercise prices exceeding the average market price of Common Stock as follows: 0.1 million in both the third quarterfirst quarters ended March 31, 2023 and first nine months ended September 30, 2022 and none in the third quarter and first nine months ended September 30, 2021.2022.


1211


5.4. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

The changes in the cumulative balances of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets consisted of the following:
Balance at
Beginning
of Year
Net IncomeReclassification
Adjustments
Balance at
End of Period
Balance at
Beginning
of Year
Net IncomeReclassification
Adjustments
Balance at
End of Period
($ in millions)    ($ in millions)   
Nine months ended September 30, 2022   
Three months ended March 31, 2023Three months ended March 31, 2023   
Pensions and other postretirement liabilitiesPensions and other postretirement liabilities$(319)$— $(4)$(323)
Other comprehensive loss of equity investeesOther comprehensive loss of equity investees(32)— —  (32)
Accumulated other comprehensive lossAccumulated other comprehensive loss$(351)$— $(4) $(355)
Three months ended March 31, 2022Three months ended March 31, 2022   
Pensions and other postretirement liabilitiesPensions and other postretirement liabilities$(356)$— $14 $(342)Pensions and other postretirement liabilities$(356)$— $$(352)
Other comprehensive income (loss) of equity investeesOther comprehensive income (loss) of equity investees(46)11 —  (35)Other comprehensive income (loss) of equity investees(46)—  (42)
Accumulated other comprehensive lossAccumulated other comprehensive loss$(402)$11 $14  $(377)Accumulated other comprehensive loss$(402)$$ $(394)
Nine months ended September 30, 2021   
Pensions and other postretirement liabilities$(526)$— $23 $(503)
Other comprehensive loss of equity investees(68)— —  (68)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss$(594)$— $23  $(571)

6.5.  Stock Repurchase Program
 
We repurchased and retired 9.20.6 million and 9.42.2 million shares of Common Stock under our stock repurchase programprograms in the first three months of 2023 and 2022, respectively, at a cost of $2.3 billion$163 million and $2.5 billion during the first nine months of 2022 and 2021, respectively. On March 29, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized a new program for the repurchase of up to $10.0 billion of Common Stock beginning April 1, 2022. Our previous share repurchase program terminated on March 31, 2022.$600 million.

7.6.  Investments

Investment in Conrail
 
Through a limited liability company, we and CSX Corporation (CSX) jointly own Conrail Inc. (Conrail), whose primary subsidiary is Consolidated Rail Corporation (CRC). We have a 58% economic and 50% voting interest in the jointly-owned entity, and CSX has the remainder of the economic and voting interests. Our investment in Conrail was $1.6 billion and $1.5 billion at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021, respectfully.2022.

CRC owns and operates certain properties (the Shared Assets Areas) for the joint and exclusive benefit of Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) and CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT). The costs of operating the Shared Assets Areas are borne by NSR and CSXT based on usage. In addition, NSR and CSXT pay CRC a fee for access to the Shared Assets Areas. “Purchased services and rents” and “Fuel” include expenses payable to CRC for operation of the Shared Assets Areas totaling $42$45 million and $37 million for the third quarters of 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $116 million and $108$38 million for the first nine monthsquarters of 20222023 and 2021,2022, respectively. Our equity in Conrail’s earnings, net of amortization, was $15$16 million and $14 million for the thirdfirst quarters of 20222023 and 2021, respectively, and $40 million and $42 million for the first nine months of 2022, and 2021, respectively. These amounts partially offset the costs of operating the Shared Assets Areas and are included in “Purchased services and rents.”

“Other liabilities” includes $534 million at both September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 20212022 for long-term advances from Conrail, maturing in 2050 that bear interest at an average rate of 1.31%.


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Investment in TTX

We and eightseven other North American railroads collectively own TTX Company (TTX), a railcar pooling company that provides its owner-railroads with standardized fleets of intermodal, automotive, and general use railcars at stated rates. We have a 19.65%19.78% ownership interest in TTX.

Expenses incurred for use of TTX equipment are included in “Purchased services and rents.” These expenses amounted to $63$66 million and $59 million for the third quarters of 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $193 million and $183$64 million for the first nine monthsquarters of 20222023 and 2021,2022, respectively. Our equity in TTX’s earnings partially offsets these costs and totaled $18$9 million and $12 million for the third quarters of 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $39 million and $43$10 million for the first nine monthsquarters of 20222023 and 2021,2022, respectively.

8.7.  Debt

In June 2022,February 2023, we issued $750$500 million of 4.55%4.45% senior notes due 2053.2033.

In May 2022, we renewed ourWe have in place an accounts receivable securitization program with a maximum borrowing capacity of $400 million. Themillion and a term that expires in May 2023. Amounts received under this facility are accounted for as borrowings. We had no amounts outstanding under this program at March 31, 2023 and our available borrowing capacity was $400 million. At December 31, 2022, we had $100 million (at an average variable interest rate of 5.05%) outstanding, which is included within “Short-term debt” and our available borrowing capacity was $300 million. Our accounts receivable securitization program was supported by $916 million and $883 million in receivables at both September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021.

In February 2022, we issued $600 million of 3.00% senior notes due 2032 and $400 million of 3.70% senior notes due 2053.respectively, which are included in “Accounts receivable – net”.

9.8.  Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits
 
We have both funded and unfunded defined benefit pension plans covering eligible employees. We also provide specified health care benefits to eligible retired employees; these plans can be amended or terminated at our option.  Under our self-insured retiree health care plan, for those participants who are not Medicare-eligible, certain health care expenses are covered for retired employees and their dependents, reduced by any deductibles, coinsurance, and, in some cases, coverage provided under other group insurance policies. Eligible retired participants and their spouses who are Medicare-eligible are not covered under the self-insured retiree health care plan, but instead are provided with an employer-funded health reimbursement account which can be used for reimbursement of health insurance premiums or eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Pension and postretirement benefit cost components for the third quarter and first nine months were as follows:

Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
Third Quarter First Quarter
2022202120222021 2023202220232022
($ in millions) ($ in millions)
Service costService cost$10 $10 $$Service cost$$10 $$
Interest costInterest cost17 14 Interest cost27 17 
Expected return on plan assetsExpected return on plan assets(53)(48)(3)(3)Expected return on plan assets(52)(53)(3)(3)
Amortization of net lossesAmortization of net losses12 16 — — Amortization of net losses12 — — 
Amortization of prior service benefitAmortization of prior service benefit— — (6)(6)Amortization of prior service benefit— — (6)(6)
Net benefitNet benefit$(14)$(8)$(5)$(7)Net benefit$(18)$(14)$(4)$(6)


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 Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement Benefits
 First Nine Months
 2022202120222021
 ($ in millions)
Service cost$30 $32 $$
Interest cost51 41 
Expected return on plan assets(160)(144)(9)(9)
Amortization of net losses36 49 — 
Amortization of prior service benefit— — (19)(19)
Net benefit$(43)$(22)$(17)$(18)

The service cost component of defined benefit pension cost and postretirement benefit cost are reported within “Compensation and benefits” and all other components of net benefit cost are presented in “Other income (expense) – net” on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

10.9.  Fair Values of Financial Instruments
 
The fair values of “Cash and cash equivalents,” “Accounts receivable – net,” and “Accounts payable,” and “Short-term debt,” approximate carrying values because of the short maturity of these financial instruments. The carrying value of corporate-owned life insurance is recorded at cash surrender value and, accordingly, approximates fair value. There are no other assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 or December 31, 2021.2022. The carrying amounts and estimated fair values, based on Level 1 inputs, of long-term debt consist of the following:

 September 30, 2022December 31, 2021
Carrying
Amount
Fair
Value
Carrying
Amount
Fair
Value
 ($ in millions)
Long-term debt, including current maturities$(15,068)$(13,481)$(13,840)$(17,033)
 March 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Carrying
Amount
Fair
Value
Carrying
Amount
Fair
Value
 ($ in millions)
Long-term debt, including current maturities$(14,988)$(13,889)$(15,082)$(13,846)

11.10.  Commitments and Contingencies
 
Eastern Ohio Incident

Summary

On February 3, 2023, a train we operated derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailed equipment included 38 railcars, 11 of which were non-Company-owned tank cars containing hazardous materials. Fires associated with the derailment threatened certain of the tank cars. There was concern about the risk that the content of five of the tank cars carrying vinyl chloride might polymerize, which would have posed the risk of a catastrophic explosion. As a consequence, on February 6, 2023, the local incident commander—in consultation with the incident command that included, among others, federal, state and local officials and Norfolk Southern—opted to conduct a controlled vent and burn of five derailed tank cars, all of which contained vinyl chloride. This procedure involved creating holes in the five tank cars to drain the vinyl chloride into adjacent trenches that had been dug into the ground where such vinyl chloride was then burned, with any material remaining after burning of the vinyl chloride being remediated. The February 3rd derailment, the associated fire, and the resulting vent and burn of the tank cars containing vinyl chloride on February 6th is hereinafter referred to as the “Incident.”

In response to the Incident, we have worked to clean the site safely and thoroughly, including those activities described in the Environmental Matters section below with respect to potentially impacted air, soil and water and to monitor for any impact on public health and the environment. We are working with federal, state, and local officials to mitigate impacts from the Incident, including, among other efforts, conducting environmental monitoring and clean-up activities (as more fully described below), and establishing a family assistance center to provide financial support to affected members of the East Palestine and surrounding communities.

Financial Impact

Although we cannot predict the final outcome or estimate the reasonably possible range of loss with certainty, we have recognized $387 million of expense for costs directly attributable to the Incident, which is presented in “Eastern Ohio incident” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. During the first quarter, our cash expenditures attributable to the Incident were $55 million, which are presented in “Net cash provided by operating activities” on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The remainder, $332 million, is primarily comprised of our estimates of

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probable and reasonably estimable liabilities principally associated with environmental matters and legal proceedings, which are discussed in further detail below.

While certain costs recorded in the first quarter may be recoverable under our insurance policies in effect at the date of the Incident, no estimate of potential recoveries has yet been recorded. Any amounts recoverable under our insurance policies will be reflected in future periods in which recovery is considered probable. For additional information about our insurance coverage, see “Insurance” below.

Environmental Matters – In response to the Incident, we have been working with federal, state, and local officials such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ohio EPA, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, to conduct environmental response and remediation activities, including but not limited to, air monitoring, indoor air quality screenings, municipal water and private water well testing, residential, commercial, and agricultural soil sampling, surface water and groundwater sampling, re-routing a local waterway around the affected site, capturing and shipping stormwater that enters the impacted derailment site to proper disposal facilities, and excavating and disposing of potentially affected soil at hazardous waste landfills or incinerators. The U.S. EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) on February 21, 2023, containing various requirements, including the submission of numerous work plans to assess and remediate various environmental media and performance of certain removal actions at the affected site. On February 24, 2023, we submitted to the U.S. EPA our Notice of Intent to Comply with the UAO and are currently cooperating with U.S. EPA as well as the Ohio EPA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, pursuant to the UAO and the directives issued thereunder.

We are also subject to the following legal proceedings that principally relate to the environmental impact of the Incident:

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. EPA filed a civil complaint (the DOJ Complaint) in the Northern District of Ohio (Eastern Division) seeking injunctive relief, cost recovery and civil penalties for violations of the Clean Water Act and seeking cost recovery under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); and

The Ohio Attorney General filed a CERCLA lawsuit (the Ohio Complaint) in the Northern District of Ohio (Eastern Division) requesting statutory damages for a variety of tort and environmental claims under CERCLA.

In connection with the foregoing items, we recognized $317 million of expense during the first quarter, of which $31 million was paid, related to probable obligations that are reasonably estimable, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 410-30, “Environmental Obligations.” Our current estimate includes ongoing and future environmental cleanup activities and remediation efforts, governmental oversight costs (including those incurred by the U.S. EPA and the Ohio EPA), and other related costs, including those in connection with the DOJ Complaint (including potential civil penalties related to violations of the Clean Water Act). Our current estimates of future environmental cleanup and remediation liabilities related to the Incident may change over time due to various factors, including but not limited to, the success of current cleanup techniques, the nature and extent of required future cleanup activities, and the extent of governmental oversight, amongst other factors. As clean-up efforts progress and more information is available, including any federal and state requirements, we will review these estimates and revise as appropriate.

Legal Proceedings (Non-Environmental) – To date, numerous non-environmental legal actions have been filed with respect to the Incident, including those more specifically set forth below.

There are currently numerous putative class action and individual lawsuits that have been filed, primarily consolidated in the Northern District of Ohio (Eastern Division). The putative class

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action complaints currently allege numerous claims, including negligence, nuisance, trespass, and medical monitoring, and seek as relief, among other things, compensatory and punitive damages. The putative classes are currently defined by reference to class areas ranging from the evacuation zone up to 100 miles away. Additional multi-plaintiff lawsuits are also pending in the same court and others, such as additional lawsuits pending in the Western District of Pennsylvania brought by local school districts including claims such as negligence, nuisance, trespass, and future health monitoring. No responsive pleadings have yet been filed with respect to these matters (collectively referred to herein as the Incident Lawsuits). In accordance with ASC 450, “Contingencies,” we have recognized a $12 million probable loss in the first quarter with respect to the Incident Lawsuits, which is in addition to $16 million in amounts paid during the first quarter with respect to these matters.

Securities litigation, including a securities class action lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Ohio alleging multiple securities law violations for which no responsive pleading has yet been filed, as well as multiple shareholder demand letters that we have received (collectively, the Shareholder Lawsuits).

If and when we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated, it will be accrued through a charge to earnings and, if material, disclosed. Any adjustments to the recorded liability will be reflected in earnings in the periods in which such adjustments become known. Because the final outcome of any of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, unfavorable or unexpected developments or outcomes could result in additional accruals that could be significant to results of operations in a particular year or quarter. For legal proceedings where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or is probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established but the matter, if potentially material, is disclosed.

The reserves established by us during the first quarter do not include any estimate of loss for the following items, for which we believe a loss is either not probable or not reasonably estimable for the reasons noted: (i) the overall cost to us for programs being developed in conjunction with the Ohio Attorney General for affected residents and businesses, which amounts will impact our loss contingency analysis with respect to the Incident Lawsuits described above, namely a healthcare fund, tailored protection for property owners, and programs to protect drinking water over the long term (given the preliminary nature of such discussions), or (ii) any fines or penalties (in excess of the reserves established for Clean Water Act-related civil penalties) that may be imposed as a result of the Incident Inquiries and Investigations, as more specifically set forth and defined below (the outcome of which are uncertain at this time). Additionally, as noted above, amounts recognized during the first quarter do not include potential recoveries from third parties, including the impact of our insurance coverage, which may apply to various Incident-related expenses or liabilities, as more specifically set forth further below (given the preliminary nature of any related discussions with our insurers).

Inquiries and Investigations

As set forth above, we are subject to inquiries and investigations by numerous federal, state, and local government authorities and regulatory agencies regarding the Incident, including but not limited to, the DOJ and the U.S. EPA, the Ohio EPA, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Ohio Attorney General, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General. Further details regarding the NTSB and FRA investigations are set forth below. We are cooperating with all inquiries and investigations, including responding to civil and criminal subpoenas and other requests for information (the aforementioned inquiries and investigations, as well as the civil and criminal subpoenas are collectively referred to herein as the Incident Inquiries and Investigations). The outcome of any current or future Incident Inquiries and Investigations is uncertain at this time, including any related fines, penalties or settlements. Therefore, our first quarter expenses do not include estimates of the total amount that we may incur for any such fines, penalties or settlements.

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Subsequent to the Incident, investigators from the NTSB examined railroad equipment and track conditions; reviewed data from the signal system, wayside defect detectors, local surveillance cameras, and the lead locomotive’s event recorder and forward-facing and inward-facing image recorders; and completed certain interviews (the NTSB Investigation). The NTSB issued a preliminary report indicating that one of the cars involved in the derailment appeared to have a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment. Their preliminary report also indicates that the rail crew was operating the train within our rules; the rail crew operated the train below the track speed limit, the wayside heat detectors were operating as designed; and once the rail crew was alerted by the wayside detector, they immediately began to stop the train. The NTSB’s investigation remains ongoing.

Concurrent with the NTSB Investigation, the FRA is also investigating the Incident. Similar in scope to the NTSB Investigation, the FRA is examining railroad equipment, track conditions, hazardous materials train placement and routing, and emergency response (the FRA Incident Investigation). The FRA Incident Investigation may result in the assessment of civil penalties. In addition to the FRA Incident Investigation, the FRA announced on March 7, 2023 that it would conduct a 60-day supplemental safety assessment (the FRA Safety Assessment). The FRA Safety Assessment will review findings from a previously completed 2022 system audit and assess operational elements including, but not limited to: track, signal, and rolling stock maintenance, inspection and repair practices; protection of employees; communications between transportation departments and mechanical and engineering staff; operation control center procedures and dispatcher training. The overall scope of the FRA Safety Assessment is to examine our safety culture. At the conclusion of the FRA Safety Assessment, the FRA will issue a public report which will include its findings and recommended corrective actions. The FRA Incident Investigation and the FRA Safety Assessment remain ongoing.

Other Commitments and Contingencies

Lawsuits
 
We and/or certain subsidiaries are defendants in numerous lawsuits and other claims relating principally to railroad operations.  When we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated, it is accrued through a charge to earnings and, if material, disclosed below. While the ultimate amount of liability incurred in any of these lawsuits and claims is dependent on future developments, in our opinion, the recorded liability is adequate to cover the future payment of such liability and claims. However, the final outcome of any of these lawsuits and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, and unfavorable or unexpected outcomes could result in additional accruals that could be significant to results of operations in a particular year or quarter. Any adjustments to the recorded liability will be reflected in earnings in the periods in which such adjustments become known. For lawsuits and other claims where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or is probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established but the matter, if potentially material, is disclosed below. We routinely review relevant information with respect to our lawsuits and other claims and update our accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible loss based on such reviews.


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In 2007, various antitrust class actions filed against us and other Class I railroads in various Federal district courts regarding fuel surcharges were consolidated in the District of Columbia by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. In 2012, the court certified the case as a class action. The defendant railroads appealed this certification, and the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia vacated the District Court’s decision and remanded the case for further consideration. On October 10, 2017, the District Court denied class certification. The decision was upheld by the Court of Appeals on August 16, 2019. Since that decision, various individual cases have been filed in multiple jurisdictions and also consolidated in the District of Columbia. We believe the allegations in the complaints are without merit and intend to vigorously defend the cases. We do not believe the outcome of these proceedings will have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.

In 2018, a lawsuit was filed against one of our subsidiaries by the minority owner in a jointly-owned terminal railroad company in which our subsidiary has the majority ownership. The lawsuit alleged violations of various

17


state laws and federal antitrust laws. SummaryOn January 3, 2023, the court granted summary judgment has been briefedto us on all of the compensatory claims but not decided, and trial is likely to occur indenied summary judgment for all equitable relief claims. On January 18, 2023, the first quartercourt dismissed the federal equitable relief claims, leaving the state equitable relief claims as the sole remaining issue under consideration. On April 19, 2023, the court disposed of 2023. Weall remaining state equitable relief claims. These rulings may be appealed. If appealed, we will continue to vigorously defend the lawsuit and, although it is reasonably possible we could incur a loss in the case, we believe that we will prevail. However, given that litigation is inherently unpredictable and subject to uncertainties, there can be no assurances that the final outcome of the litigation or a litigation settlement(including any related appeal) will not have a material adverse affect on our financial position or results of operations. Webe material. Until such appeal is final, we cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss associated with the litigation at this time.matter.

Casualty Claims

Casualty claims include employee personal injury and occupational claims as well as third-party claims, all exclusive of legal costs.  To aid in valuing our personal injury liability and determining the amount to accrue with respect to such claims during the year, we utilize studies prepared by an independent consulting actuarial consulting firm.  Job-related personal injury and occupational claims are subject to the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA), which is applicable only to railroads. The variability inherent in FELA’s fault-based tort system could result in actual costs being different from the liability recorded.  While the ultimate amount of claims incurred is dependent on future developments, in our opinion, the recorded liability is adequate to cover the future payments of claims and is supported by the most recent actuarial study.  In all cases, we record a liability when the expected loss for the claim is both probable and reasonably estimable.

Employee personal injury claims TheOther than Incident-related matters noted above, the largest component of claims expense is employee personal injury costs.  The independent actuarial firm we engage provides quarterly studies to aid in valuing our employee personal injury liability and estimating personal injury expense.  The actuarial firm studies our historical patterns of reserving for claims and subsequent settlements, taking into account relevant outside influences.  The actuarial firm uses the results of these analyses to estimate the ultimate amount of liability. We adjust the liability quarterly based upon our assessment and the results of the study. The accuracy of our estimate of the liability is subject to inherent limitation given the difficulty of predicting future events such as jury decisions, court interpretations, or legislative changes. As a result, actual claim settlements may vary from the estimated liability recorded.

Occupational claims – Occupational claims include injuries and illnesses alleged to be caused by exposures which occur over time as opposed to injuries or illnesses caused by a specific accident or event. Types of occupational claims commonly seen allege exposure to asbestos and other claimed toxic substances resulting in respiratory diseases or cancer. Many such claims are being asserted by former or retired employees, some of whom have not been employed in the rail industry for decades.  The independent actuarial firm provides an estimate of the occupational claimsclaims’ liability based upon our history of claim filings, severity, payments, and other pertinent facts.  The liability is dependent upon judgments we make as to the specific case reserves as well as judgments of the actuarial firm in the quarterly studies.  Our estimate of ultimate loss includes a provision for those claims that have been incurred but not reported.  This provision is derived by analyzing industry data and projecting our experience. We adjust the liability quarterly based upon our assessment and the results of the study.  However, it is possible that the recorded liability may not be adequate to cover the future payment of claims.  Adjustments to the recorded liability are reflected in operating expenses in the periods in which such adjustments become known.

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Third-party claims – We record a liability for third-party claims including those for highway crossing accidents, trespasser and other injuries, property damage, and lading damage.  The actuarial firm assists us with the calculation of potential liability for third-party claims, except lading damage, based upon our experience including the number and timing of incidents, amount of payments, settlement rates, number of open claims, and legal defenses. We adjust the liability quarterly based upon our assessment and the results of the study.  Given the inherent uncertainty in regard to the ultimate outcome of third-party claims, it is possible that the actual loss may differ from the estimated liability recorded.


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Environmental Matters
 
We are subject to various jurisdictions’ environmental laws and regulations.  We record a liability where such liability or loss is probable and reasonably estimable. Environmental specialists regularly participate in ongoing evaluations of all known sites and in determining any necessary adjustments to liability estimates.  

OurIn addition to environmental claims associated with the Incident, our Consolidated Balance Sheets include liabilities for other environmental exposures of $57$61 million at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and $49$66 million at December 31, 2021,2022, of which $15 million is classified as a current liability at the end of both periods. At September 30,March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the liability represents our estimates of the probable cleanup, investigation, and remediation costs based on available information at 8685 known locations and projects compared with 88 locations and projects at Decemberprojects. At March 31, 2021. At September 30, 2022,2023, twenty sites accounted for $46$49 million of the liability, and no individual site was considered to be material. We anticipate that most of this liability will be paid out over five years; however, some costs will be paid out over a longer period.

At eight locations, one or more of our subsidiaries in conjunction with a number of other parties have been identified as potentially responsible parties under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980CERCLA or comparable state statutes that impose joint and several liability for cleanup costs.  We calculate our estimated liability for these sites based on facts and legal defenses applicable to each site and not solely on the basis of the potential for joint liability.

WithAs set forth above, with respect to known environmental sites (whether identified by us or by the Environmental Protection AgencyU.S. EPA or comparable state authorities), estimates of our ultimate potential financial exposure for a given site or in the aggregate for all such sites can change over time because of the widely varying costs of currently available cleanup techniques, unpredictable contaminant recovery and reduction rates associated with available cleanup technologies, the likely development of new cleanup technologies, the difficulty of determining in advance the nature and full extent of contamination and each potential participant’s share of any estimated loss (and that participant’s ability to bear it), and evolving statutory and regulatory standards governing liability.

The risk of incurring environmental liability for acts and omissions, past, present, and future, is inherent in the railroad business.  Some of the commodities we transport, particularly those classified as hazardous materials, pose special risks that we work diligently to reduce.  In addition, several of our subsidiaries own, or have owned, land used as operating property, or which is leased and operated by others, or held for sale.  Because environmental problems that are latent or undisclosed may exist on these properties, there can be no assurance that we will not incur environmental liabilities or costs with respect to one or more of them, the amount and materiality of which cannot be estimated reliably at this time.  Moreover, lawsuits and claims involving these and potentially other unidentified environmental sites and matters are likely to arise from time to time.  The resulting liabilities could have a significant effect on financial position, results of operations, or liquidity in a particular year or quarter.
 
Based on our assessment of the facts and circumstances now known, we believe we have recorded the probable and reasonably estimable costs for dealing with those environmental matters of which we are aware.  Further, we believe that it is unlikely that any known matters, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.
 

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Labor Agreements

Approximately 80% of our railroad employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements with various labor unions. Pursuant to the Railway Labor Act, these agreements remain in effect until new agreements are reached, or until the bargaining procedures mandated by the Railway Labor Act are completed. Moratorium provisions in the labor agreements govern when the railroads and unions may propose changes to the agreements. We largely bargain nationally in concert with other major railroads, represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee.

The latest round of national bargaining concluded in December 2022, when agreements were either ratified or enacted through legislative action for all twelve of our unions. We are currently participating in additional

19


discussions (none of which carry the risk of a work stoppage) with several of our unions to conclude the implementation of these national agreements. With the conclusion of national bargaining, neither party can compel mandatory bargaining around any new proposals until November 1, 2024.

In September 2022, management reached tentative agreements with all relevant unions. These tentative agreements, which pertainaddition, we understand the imperative to years 2020-2024, included retroactive pay increases and other benefitscontinue improving quality of life for our craft employees thatand are higher thanactively engaged in voluntary local discussions with our estimates previously recorded for such items. For the third quarter of 2022, “Compensation and benefits” includes $85 million and “Purchased services and rents” includes $3 million of additional expenses pertaining to estimated wage increases recorded in periods prior to July 1, 2022. For the first nine months of 2022, “Compensation and benefits” includes $54 million and “Purchased services and rents” includes $2 million of additional expenses pertaining to estimated wage increases recorded in periods prior to January 1, 2022.

Although some of these agreements have been finalized through ratification by union membership, others remain subject to ratification. In addition, two labor unions did not initially ratify their tentative agreements (with one union putting out a second tentative agreement for a vote and the other agreeing to maintain the status quo as negotiations continue). The outcome of the ratification process cannot be predicted with certainty aton this time; however, if one or more of the tentative agreements fails ratification and is not subsequently ratified during a final “status quo” period where self-help (strike or lockout) is not permitted, self-help could occur in mid-November or early December (dates vary by tentative agreement). A service disruption, depending on the duration, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity. In addition, the resulting changes in our finalized labor agreements (and our tentative agreements, if ratified) are expected to increase our labor costs.important issue.

Insurance
 
We purchase insurance covering legal liabilities for bodily injury and property damage to third parties. This insurance provides coverage above $75 million and below $800 million ($1.1(or up to $1.1 billion for specific perils)specified types of pollution releases) per occurrence and/or policy year. In addition, we purchase insurance covering damage to property owned by us or in our care, custody, or control. This insurance covers approximately 82% of potential losses above $75 million and below $275 million per occurrence and/or policy year.

12. New Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2021, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update 2021-10, “Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance,” which requires annual disclosures when an entity has received government assistance. Entities are requiredOur ability to disclose the types of government assistance received, the accounting treatment for that government assistance, and the effectrecoup any of the government assistance onforegoing amounts under our insurance coverage, including any amounts that may be recoverable with respect to the financial statements. The new standardIncident, is effectivesubject to certain conditions, including but not limited to our insurers’ reservation of rights to further investigate and contest coverage, the express restrictions and sub-limits of coverage, and various policy exclusions, including those for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021,some governmental fines or penalties, as well as potential coverage disputes over payments we make as part of our effort to mitigate the impact to the community and early adoption is permitted.affected residents. We do not expectare working with our insurers to confirm applicable coverage with respect to the Incident, but no estimate for potential insurance recovery has been accrued at this standard to have a material effect on our disclosures. We did not adopt the standard early.

time.

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Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries
 
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes.
 
OVERVIEW
 
We are one of the nation’s premier transportation companies, moving goods and materials that help drive the U.S. economy. We connect customers to markets and communities to economic opportunity with safe, reliable, and cost-effective shipping solutions. Our Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates in 22 states and the District of Columbia. We are a major transporter of industrial products, including agriculture, forest and consumer products, chemicals, and metals and construction materials. In addition, in the East we serve every major container port and operate the most extensive intermodal network. We are also a principal carrier of coal, automobiles, and automotive parts.

DuringOur first quarter results were impacted by a February 2023 derailment in Eastern Ohio. The derailment consisted of 38 railcars and resulted in the release of certain chemicals that were being transported for our customers. Following the Incident (as defined and as further described in Note 10 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements), we have worked to clean the derailment site safely and thoroughly and to monitor for any impact on public health and the environment. Expenses recognized in the first quarter amounted to $387 million and relate to our initial response costs, ongoing cleanup efforts and estimates associated with environmental remediation and legal proceedings. Our current estimates of future environmental cleanup and remediation liabilities related to the Incident may change over time due to various factors, and the final outcome of any legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. Thus, unfavorable or unexpected developments or outcomes could result in additional accruals that could be significant to results of operations in a particular year or quarter. This amount does not include any estimate of loss for specific items for which we believe a loss is either not probable or not reasonably estimable for the reasons noted. In addition, this amount does not include any amounts that may be recoverable from third quarter, strong revenueparties, including expenses or liabilities that may be recovered under our insurance policies and for which such amounts will be reflected in future periods when reimbursement is considered probable. Please see Note 10 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a detailed discussion of these estimates and exclusions. We continue to work with federal, state, and local officials to mitigate impacts from the Incident and to provide support to affected members of the community.

Revenue growth drove improved profitability despiteover the prior year was driven by higher inflation-related operating expenses.Higher fuel surcharge revenues, resulting from higher fuel commodity prices, and pricing gains led toaverage revenue per unit, growth that more than offsetas our volumes for the impact of lower volume.The increase in fuel commodity prices also ledquarter were flat. In addition to the costs recognized from the Incident, our operating expenses were higher, fuel expense.Additionally, tentative agreements, resulting as part of ongoing labor union negotiations, included retroactive pay increasesdriven by inflationary pressures and other benefits for our craft employees that resulted in increased compensation and benefits expenses.Finally, althoughservice-related costs. As we incurred incremental service-related costs, we continuedcontinue to make progress on effortsin response to increase network fluiditythe derailment and improvesupport the impacted community, we are committed to our strategy — a balanced approach of delivering safe, reliable and resilient service, for our customers.smart and sustainable growth, and continuous productivity improvement.


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SUMMARIZED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

First Quarter
Third QuarterFirst Nine Months20232022% change
20222021% change20222021% change($ in millions, except per share amounts)
($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Income from railway operationsIncome from railway operations$1,272 $1,136 12%$3,628 $3,318 9%Income from railway operations$711 $1,085 (34%)
Net incomeNet income$958 $753 27%$2,480 $2,245 10%Net income$466 $703 (34%)
Diluted earnings per shareDiluted earnings per share$4.10 $3.06 34%$10.45 $8.99 16%Diluted earnings per share$2.04 $2.93 (30%)
Railway operating ratio (percent)Railway operating ratio (percent)62.0 60.2 3%61.8 60.0 3%Railway operating ratio (percent)77.3 62.8 23%

IncomeFirst-quarter 2023 income from railway operations included $387 million of expenses arising from the Incident, which reduced net income by $293 million and diluted earnings per share by $1.28. For more information see Note 10 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. First quarter income from railway operations, net income, and diluted earnings per share were further impacted by the factors set forth further below.

The following table adjusts our 2023 GAAP financial results to exclude the effects of the Incident. The income tax effect of this non-GAAP adjustment was calculated based on the applicable tax rates to which the non-GAAP adjustment related. We use these non-GAAP financial measures internally and believe this information provides useful supplemental information to investors to facilitate making period-to-period comparisons by excluding the 2023 costs arising from the Incident. While we believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating our business, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and is not meant to be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be the same as similar measures presented by other companies.

Non-GAAP Reconciliation for First Quarter 2023
ReportedEastern Ohio IncidentAdjusted
(non-GAAP)
($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Income from railway operations$711 $387 $1,098 
Net income$466 $293 $759 
Diluted earnings per share$2.04 $1.28 $3.32 
Railway operating ratio (percent)77.3 (12.4)64.9 

In the table below, references to 2023 results and related comparisons use the adjusted, non-GAAP results from the reconciliation in the table above.


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First Quarter
Adjusted
2023
(non-GAAP)
2022Adjusted 2023 (non-GAAP)
vs. 2022
($ in millions, except per share amounts)% change
Income from railway operations$1,098 $1,085 1%
Net income$759 $703 8%
Diluted earnings per share$3.32 $2.93 13%
Railway operating ratio (percent)64.9 62.8 3%

On a non-GAAP basis excluding the impact of the Incident, income from railway operations increased in both periods, driven bydue to higher railway operating revenues. Revenue growth was the result ofdriven by higher fuel surcharge revenues and pricing gains, which more than offsetas volumes remained flat compared to the impact of volume declines in both the third quarter and first nine months.same period last year. The rise in revenues was partlypartially offset by increased railway operating expenses, primarily driven by higher fuel prices, increased labor-related costs resulting from ongoing labor union negotiations, other inflationary pressures and service-related costs. The first nine months also include higher claims-related expenses and lower gains on the sale of operating properties. The increase in estimates for retroactive wage increases anticipated under our tentative labor agreements and that pertain to prior periods lowered diluted earnings per share by $0.28 and $0.18 in the third quarter and first nine months, respectively. Additionally, net income in both periods includes a $136 million deferred tax benefit resulting from a corporate income tax rate change in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which increased diluted earnings per share by $0.58 and $0.57 in the third quarter and first nine months, respectively. Our share repurchase activity resulted in the percentage increase in diluted earnings per share that exceeded that of net income.



1923


DETAILED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
Railway Operating Revenues

The following tables present a comparison of revenues ($ in millions), units (in thousands), and average revenue per unit ($ per unit) by commodity group.
Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
RevenuesRevenues20222021% change20222021% changeRevenues20232022% change
Merchandise:Merchandise:Merchandise:
Agriculture, forest and consumer productsAgriculture, forest and consumer products$642 $564 14%$1,839 $1,681 9%Agriculture, forest and consumer products$653 $573 14%
ChemicalsChemicals570 504 13%1,620 1,457 11%Chemicals541 498 9%
Metals and constructionMetals and construction442 424 4%1,237 1,196 3%Metals and construction400 375 7%
AutomotiveAutomotive276 218 27%759 664 14%Automotive284 226 26%
MerchandiseMerchandise1,930 1,710 13%5,455 4,998 9%Merchandise1,878 1,672 12%
IntermodalIntermodal942 812 16%2,768 2,332 19%Intermodal814 854 (5%)
CoalCoal471 330 43%1,285 960 34%Coal440 389 13%
TotalTotal$3,343 $2,852 17%$9,508 $8,290 15%Total$3,132 $2,915 7%
UnitsUnitsUnits
Merchandise:Merchandise:Merchandise:
Agriculture, forest and consumer productsAgriculture, forest and consumer products178.0 181.3 (2%)539.2 547.3 (1%)Agriculture, forest and consumer products187.7 177.6 6%
ChemicalsChemicals137.9 138.3 —%407.3 399.0 2%Chemicals136.1 129.4 5%
Metals and constructionMetals and construction168.3 179.2 (6%)480.2 510.5 (6%)Metals and construction153.4 148.0 4%
AutomotiveAutomotive85.4 81.5 5%252.3 257.5 (2%)Automotive88.1 81.2 8%
MerchandiseMerchandise569.6 580.3 (2%)1,679.0 1,714.3 (2%)Merchandise565.3 536.2 5%
IntermodalIntermodal972.7 1,021.0 (5%)2,945.7 3,100.0 (5%)Intermodal916.8 956.5 (4%)
CoalCoal183.0 160.5 14%514.7 500.2 3%Coal173.8 165.6 5%
TotalTotal1,725.3 1,761.8 (2%)5,139.4 5,314.5 (3%)Total1,655.9 1,658.3 —%
Revenue per UnitRevenue per UnitRevenue per Unit
Merchandise:Merchandise:Merchandise:
Agriculture, forest and consumer productsAgriculture, forest and consumer products$3,606 $3,113 16%$3,411 $3,072 11%Agriculture, forest and consumer products$3,477 $3,228 8%
ChemicalsChemicals4,135 3,647 13%3,978 3,651 9%Chemicals3,979 3,850 3%
Metals and constructionMetals and construction2,625 2,360 11%2,575 2,342 10%Metals and construction2,607 2,535 3%
AutomotiveAutomotive3,231 2,679 21%3,008 2,579 17%Automotive3,226 2,776 16%
MerchandiseMerchandise3,388 2,946 15%3,249 2,915 11%Merchandise3,323 3,118 7%
IntermodalIntermodal968 796 22%940 752 25%Intermodal887 893 (1%)
CoalCoal2,575 2,057 25%2,498 1,919 30%Coal2,533 2,347 8%
TotalTotal1,938 1,619 20%1,850 1,560 19%Total1,891 1,758 8%


2024


Railway operating revenues increased $491$217 million in the third quarter and $1.2 billion for the first nine months compared with the same periodsperiod last year. The table below reflects the components of the revenue change by major commodity group ($ in millions).

Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
MerchandiseIntermodalCoalMerchandiseIntermodalCoalMerchandiseIntermodalCoal
Increase (Decrease)Increase (Decrease)
VolumeVolume$(32)$(38)$46 $(103)$(116)$28 Volume$91 $(35)$19 
Fuel surcharge revenueFuel surcharge revenue168 124 35 356 333 58 Fuel surcharge revenue84 29 18 
Rate, mix and otherRate, mix and other84 44 60 204 219 239 Rate, mix and other31 (34)14 
TotalTotal$220 $130 $141 $457 $436 $325 Total$206 $(40)$51 
 
Approximately 95% of our revenue base is covered by contracts that include negotiated fuel surcharges. Revenues associated with these surcharges totaled $501$375 million and $174$244 million in the thirdfirst quarters of 20222023 and 2021, respectively, and $1.2 billion and $419 million for the first nine months of 2022, and 2021, respectively. The increase in fuel surcharge revenues is driven by higher fuel commodity prices. Should the current fuel price environment persist for

For the remainder of 2022,2023, we expect that revenue growth will be a challenge, as there is substantial economic uncertainty. We expect revenue headwinds resulting from lower fuel surcharge revenue to continue to be higher than 2021.prices, softening coal pricing, and declining storage service charges.

Merchandise

Merchandise revenues increased in both periods due to higher average revenue per unit, driven by higher fuel surcharge revenue and increased pricing, partially offset by lower volume. Volumes fellas well as higher volumes in both periods as declines in metals and construction and agriculture, forest, and consumer products shipments more than offset higher automotive shipments in the third quarter and chemicals shipments in the first nine months.all commodity groups.

Agriculture, forest and consumer products volume decreased in both periods. Duringincreased as the third quarter, declines inshipment demand for corn, soybeans, ethanol, pulpboard, fertilizer,feed, and pulp,lumber, more than offset the declines in pulpboard. Volume gains in corn, food oils,ethanol, feed and soybeans. During the first nine months, declines in fertilizer, corn, pulpboard, and pulp more than offset increases in feed, soybeans, and food oils. Decreased ethanol shipments in the third quarter were due to a decline in gasoline consumption. Pulpboard shipments declined in both periods due to decreased demand. Lower fertilizer shipments in both periodslumber were driven by high fertilizer prices causing customers to draw down on existing inventories or delay purchases. Pulp shipments decreased in both periodsincreased market demand. Higher soybean volume was due to equipment availability, service disruptions and over-the-road competition. Increased corn shipmentsan extended export season. The decline in the third quarter werepulpboard was due to improved cycle times on grain trains. In both periods, feed and food oils shipments increased due to increased customerhigher inventories slowing down the demand and soybean volumes were higher due to increased opportunity for exports.shipments.

Chemicals volume was flat in the third quarter but increased for the first nine months driven byrose as growth in shipments of sand, petroleum products, and solid waste more than the offset declines in plastics, organic chemicals and natural gas liquids. Volume gains for sand were driven by current market demand, while the volume increases for petroleum and solid waste were both periodsdriven by growth with existing customers. Plastics volumes declined due to increased demand. Both periodslower demand as a result of decreased activity in the housing market, while organic chemicals volumes declined as a result of production delays due to weather events. Natural gas liquid volumes were impacted by reduced shipments of inorganic chemicals, plastics, and organic chemicals,down due to decreased demand. The first nine months also saw an increase in solid waste shipments due to growth with existing customers.

Metals and construction volume fell in both periods,increased, largely the result of decreased shipments of coil steel, iron and steel,driven by higher demand for aggregates and scrap metal driven by service disruptions and slower equipment cycle times.metal.

Automotive volume increased in the third quarter but decreased for the first nine months. Higher shipments in the third quarter were primarilywas higher due to increasedan increase in production due to fewer parts supply issues when compared to the prior year,of vehicles partially offset by slower equipmentelongated cycle times. Volume declines for the first nine months were driven by slower equipment cycle times partially offset by fewer parts supply issues when compared to the prior year.

21



Merchandise revenues for the remainder of the year are expected to be higher due to increased average revenue per unit, driven by higher fuel surcharge revenue and pricing gains.

Intermodal
 
Intermodal revenues increased in both periods,decreased, driven by higherlower volumes, and lower average revenue per unit, a result of decreased storage service charges partially offset by higher fuel surcharge revenues and pricing gains, partially offset by lower volume. The first nine months also included higher storage services revenue.


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Intermodal units (in thousands) by market were as follows:
Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
20222021% change20222021% change20232022% change
DomesticDomestic630.6 656.6 (4%)1,954.4 1,957.5 —%Domestic587.7 653.4 (10%)
InternationalInternational342.1 364.4 (6%)991.3 1,142.5 (13%)International329.1 303.1 9%
TotalTotal972.7 1,021.0 (5%)2,945.7 3,100.0 (5%)Total916.8 956.5 (4%)

Domestic volume declined in both periods due to service disruptionshigh inventories and terminal congestion.increased truck availability resulting in strong over-the-road competition. International volume decreased in both periods as supply chain constraints, equipment shortages, as well as excess retail inventory which more than offset strong consumer demand.

Intermodal revenues for the remainder of the year are expected to be higher due to increased average revenue per unit, driven by higher fuel surcharge revenue and pricing gains.ocean carriers favoring inland point intermodal traffic.

Coal

Coal revenues increased in both periods due to higher average revenue per unit, driven by pricing gainstraffic mix and higher fuel surcharge revenue, and higher volume.increased export coal volumes.

Coal tonnage (in thousands) by market was as follows:

Third QuarterFirst Nine Months First Quarter
20222021% change20222021% change 20232022% change
UtilityUtility9,908 8,234 20%27,136 25,343 7%Utility8,210 8,961 (8%)
ExportExport6,391 5,650 13%19,319 18,923 2%Export8,206 6,414 28%
Domestic metallurgicalDomestic metallurgical3,232 3,074 5%8,444 8,886 (5%)Domestic metallurgical2,331 2,430 (4%)
IndustrialIndustrial963 940 2%2,849 2,710 5%Industrial689 803 (14%)
TotalTotal20,494 17,898 15%57,748 55,862 3%Total19,436 18,608 4%
 
Coal tonnage increased in both periods primarily due to increased utility and export tonnage. Utility tonnage increasedvolume, partially offset by decreased volumes in both periods due to stronger demand.all other market groups. Export tonnage increasedwas higher due to increased demand, coal supply.supply, and metal production. Utility tonnage decreased as a result of low natural gas prices and mild winter weather. Domestic metallurgical and industrial coal tonnage increased for the third quarterdecreased due to increasedreduced coal supply, partially offset by reduced coke shipments related to idled customer sourcing changes. For the first nine months domestic metallurgical coalfacilities.


2226


tonnage decreased due to reduced coke shipments related to customer sourcing changes. Industrial coal tonnage increased in both periods due to increased demand.

Coal revenues for the remainder of the year are expected to rise due to increased average revenue per unit, driven primarily by higher fuel surcharge revenue, and volume growth.

Railway Operating Expenses

Railway operating expenses summarized by major classifications follow ($ in millions):

Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
20222021% change20222021% change20232022% change
Compensation and benefitsCompensation and benefits$735 $609 21%$1,968 $1,844 7%Compensation and benefits$690 $619 11%
Purchased services and rentsPurchased services and rents484 432 12%1,402 1,254 12%Purchased services and rents496 437 14%
FuelFuel383 208 84%1,092 573 91%Fuel315 301 5%
DepreciationDepreciation306 297 3%912 883 3%Depreciation321 302 6%
Materials and otherMaterials and other163 170 (4%)506 418 21%Materials and other212 171 24%
Eastern Ohio incidentEastern Ohio incident387 — 
TotalTotal$2,071 $1,716 21%$5,880 $4,972 18%Total$2,421 $1,830 32%

Compensation and benefits expense increased in both periods as follows:

increased pay rates (up $130 million for the quarter and $151 million for the first nine months)$49 million),
employee activity levels (up $28 million for the quarter and $13 million for the first nine months)$36 million),
overtime (up $4 million for the quarter and $17 million for the first nine months),
incentive and stock-based compensation (down $38 million for the quarter and $62 million for the first nine months)$12 million), and
other (up(down $2 million for the quarter and $5 million for the first nine months)million).

The increase in pay rates in 2022 includes higher estimates associated with previously recorded amounts for retroactive wage increases and other benefits anticipated under our labor agreements. For the third quarter of 2022, compensation and benefits includes $85 million and purchased services includes $3 million of additional expenses pertaining to estimated wage increases recorded in periods prior to July 1, 2022. For the first nine months of 2022, compensation and benefits includes $54 million and purchased services includes $2 million of additional expenses pertaining to estimated wage increases recorded in periods prior to January 1, 2022.

Average rail headcount for the quarter was up by over 8001,400 compared with the thirdfirst quarter of 20212022 primarily due to the hiring of additional conductor trainees.train and engine craft employees.

Purchased services and rents increased in both periods as follows ($ in millions):

Third QuarterFirst Nine Months
 20222021% change20222021% change
Purchased services$397 $355 12%$1,133 $1,025 11%
Equipment rents87 77 13%269 229 17%
Total$484 $432 12%$1,402 $1,254 12%

23


First Quarter
 20232022% change
Purchased services$399 $349 14%
Equipment rents97 88 10%
Total$496 $437 14%

Purchased services primarily increased in both periods due to inflationary pressures which resulted in higher intermodal-related expenses, increased operational and transportation expenses, as well as higher technology-related costs. Equipment rents increased in both periods as lower network fluidity led to greater time-and-mileage expenses, increased automotiveintermodal equipment expenses and greater time-and-mileage expenses. We also incurred higher short-term locomotive resourcefreight car lease costs.

Fuel expense, which includes the cost of locomotive fuel as well as other fuel used in railway operations, increased in both periods due to higher locomotive fuel prices (up 88% in the third quarter and 97% in the first nine months), partially offset by decreased(5%). Locomotive fuel consumption (down 2% in the third quarter and 3% in the first nine months). Should the current fuel price environment persist for the remainder of 2022, we expect fuel expenses to continue to be higherwas flat compared to 2021.the same period last year.

Depreciation expense increased due to our higher asset base and the impact of the results of our periodic roadway study.


27


Materials and other expenses decreased in the third quarter but increased in the first nine months as follows ($ in millions):  

Third QuarterFirst Nine MonthsFirst Quarter
20222021% change20222021% change 20232022% change
MaterialsMaterials$83 $71 17%$215 $193 11%Materials$91 $62 47%
ClaimsClaims58 56 4%171 137 25%Claims54 49 10%
OtherOther22 43 (49%)120 88 36%Other67 60 12%
TotalTotal$163 $170 (4%)$506 $418 21%Total$212 $171 24%

Materials expense increased in both periods due to increased locomotive and freight car and track materials costs. Claims expense increased in both periods as a result of higher costs associated with environmental remediation matters and personal injuries partially offset by lower derailment costs. Other expense decreased inderailments not related to the third quarter due to a favorable legal settlement and increased gains on operating property sales, partially offset by higher travel-related expenses.Incident. Other expense increased the first nine months due to lower gains on operating property sales and higher travel-related expenses. Gains from operating property sales, included in Other, totaled $17$3 million and $5$6 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Eastern Ohio incident

During the first quarter, we recorded $387 million for the third quarters of 2022costs primarily associated with environmental matters and 2021, respectively, and $51 million and $76 millionlegal proceedings. The expense recorded in the first nine months of 2022 and 2021, respectively.quarter does not include any estimates for amounts that may be recovered under our insurance policies. For further details regarding the Incident, see Note 10 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Other income (expense) – net

Other income decreased $16increased $61 million in the third quarter and $77 million for the first nine months. Both periods experienced lower netdue to higher returns on corporate-owned life insurance (COLI) partially offset by a higher net pension benefit.and increased interest income.

Income taxes
 
The first-quarter effective tax rates for the third quarter and first nine months of 2022 were 12.4% and 19.8%, lower than the 23.6% and 22.4%, respectively,rate was 21.3% compared with 22.9% for the same periodsperiod last year primarily due to a change in a state corporate incomeyear. The effective rate for 2023 includes the recognition of certain business tax rate. On July 8, 2022, House Bill 1342 was signed into law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which reduced its corporate incomecredits and tax rate from 9.99% to 4.99%, through a series of phased reductions beginning each tax year from January 1, 2023 through January 1, 2031. GAAP requires companies to recognize the effect of tax law changes in the period of enactment. As a result, we recognized a benefit of $136 million in the third quarter of 2022.benefits on stock-based compensation.



24


FINANCIAL CONDITION AND LIQUIDITY
 
Cash provided by operating activities, our principal source of liquidity, was $3.4$1.2 billion for the first ninethree months of 2022,2023, compared with $3.3$1.0 billion for the same period of 2021.2022. The increase reflected changes in working capital, offset in part by lower operating results. We had negative working capital of $83$702 million and $354$642 million at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021,2022, respectively. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $1.2 billion$552 million at September 30, 2022.March 31, 2023.

Cash used in investing activities was $1.1 billion$391 million for the first ninethree months of 2022,2023, compared with $847$335 million for the same period last year. The increase was primarily driven by higher property additions.

Cash used in financing activities was $2.0 billion$686 million for the first ninethree months of 2022, compared with $2.1 billion2023, while cash provided by financing activities was $73 million for the same period last year, reflecting higher debt repayments and decreased proceeds from borrowing. Partially offsetting this activity was lower repurchases of Common Stock, and increased proceeds from borrowing, partially offset by higher dividends.Stock. We repurchased $2.3 billion$163 million of Common Stock in the first ninethree months of 20222023 compared to $2.5 billion$600 million in the same period last year.  On March 29, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized a new program for the repurchase of up to an additional $10.0 billion of Common Stock beginning April 1, 2022. Our previous share repurchase program terminated on March 31, 2022. The timing and volume of future share repurchases will be guided by our assessment of market conditions and other pertinent factors. Repurchases may be executed in the open market, through derivatives, accelerated repurchase and other negotiated transactions and through plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1(c)

28


and Rule 10b-18 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Any near-term purchases under the program are expected to be made with internally-generated cash, cash on hand, or proceeds from borrowings.

In February 2023, we issued $500 million of 4.45% senior notes due 2033.

Our debt-to-total capitalization ratio was 53.6%54.1% at September 30, 2022,March 31, 2023 and 50.4%54.4% at December 31, 2021.

In June 2022, we issued $750 million of 4.55% senior notes due 2053.

In May 2022, we renewed our accounts receivable securitization program with a maximum borrowing capacity of $400 million. The term expires in May 2023.2022. We had no amounts outstanding under this program and our available borrowing capacity was $400 million at both September 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021.

In February 2022, we issued $600 million of 3.00% senior notes due 2032 and $400 million of 3.70% senior notes due 2053.

We also have in place and available an $800 million credit agreement expiring in March 2025, which provides for borrowings at prevailing rates and includes covenants. We had no amounts outstanding under this facility at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 or December 31, 2021.2022. We also have in place an accounts receivable securitization program with a maximum borrowing capacity of $400 million. The term expires in May 2023. We had no amounts outstanding under this program at March 31, 2023 and $100 million outstanding at December 31, 2022. Our available borrowing capacity was $400 million and $300 million at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

In addition, we have investments in general purpose COLI policies and had the ability to borrow against these policies up to $605$620 million and $715$610 million at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021,2022, respectively.

We expect cash on hand combined with cash provided by operating activities will be sufficient to meet our ongoing obligations. In addition, we believe our currently-available borrowing capacity, access to additional financing, and ability to reduce or defer expenditures on property additions and decrease shareholder distributions, including share repurchases, provide additional flexibility to meet our ongoing obligations. Nonetheless, we are monitoring the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to a decline of cash inflows from operations. There have been no material changes to the information on future contractual obligations, including those that may have material cash requirements, contained in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021,2022, with the exception of additional senior notes (see Note 8) and approximately $1.0 billion of additional unconditional purchase obligations, which extend through 2025.7).



25


CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
 
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates and assumptions may require judgment about matters that are inherently uncertain, and future events are likely to occur that may require us to make changes to these estimates and assumptions. Accordingly, we regularly review these estimates and assumptions based on historical experience, changes in the business environment, and other factors we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances.  There have been no significant changesIn addition to the critical accounting estimates below, the remainder of our critical accounting estimates are contained in our Form 10-K at December 31, 2021.2022 Form 10-K.

Contingencies

We are currently involved in certain environmental response and remediation activities and subject to numerous legal proceedings and regulatory inquiries and investigations resulting from the Incident. As required, we have accrued estimates of the probable and reasonably estimable costs for the resolution of these matters. Our environmental estimates are based upon types of remediation efforts currently anticipated, the volume of contaminants in the impacted areas, and governmental oversight and other costs, amongst other factors. Estimates associated with the legal proceedings to which we are subject are based on information that is currently available, including but not limited to an assessment of the proceedings and the potential and likely results of such proceedings.

Our current estimates of future environmental cleanup and remediation liabilities related to the Incident may change over time due to various factors, including but not limited to, the success of current cleanup techniques, the nature and extent of required future cleanup activities, and the extent of governmental oversight, amongst other factors. Additionally, the final outcome of any of the legal proceedings and regulatory inquiries and investigations cannot be predicted with certainty, and unfavorable or unexpected developments or outcomes could result in new or additional accruals that could be material. Furthermore, certain of these costs may be recoverable under our insurance policies in effect at the date of the Incident. Any amounts that are recoverable under our insurance policies will be reflected in periods in which we determine that such amounts are probable of recovery.

29



See Note 10 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more detailed information as it pertains to these contingencies.

OTHER MATTERS
 
Labor Agreements

Approximately 80% of our railroad employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements with various labor unions. Pursuant to the Railway Labor Act, these agreements remain in effect until new agreements are reached, or until the bargaining procedures mandated by the Railway Labor Act are completed. Moratorium provisions in the labor agreements govern when the railroads and unions may propose changes to the agreements. We largely bargain nationally in concert with other major railroads, represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee.

After management andThe latest round of national bargaining concluded in December 2022, when agreements were either ratified or enacted through legislative action for all twelve of our unions. We are currently participating in additional discussions (none of which carry the risk of a work stoppage) with several of our unions served their formal proposals in November 2019 for changes to conclude the collective bargaining agreements, negotiations began in 2020 following the expiration of the last moratorium. On June 17, 2022, the National Mediation Board notified the parties that all practical methods of ending the dispute had been exhausted without effecting a settlement and that its mediation services had been terminated. Shortly thereafter, President Biden created Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) No. 250, effective July 18, 2022, to investigate the facts of the dispute and make recommendations. The PEB issued its recommendations on August 16, 2022, and the parties engaged in further negotiations. By late September, management had reached tentative agreements with all relevant unions. Someimplementation of these agreements have since been finalized through ratification by union membership, but others are still subject to ratification. In addition, two labor unions did not initially ratify their tentative agreements (with one union putting out a second tentative agreement for a vote andnational agreements. With the other agreeing to maintain the status quo as negotiations continue).conclusion of national bargaining, neither party can compel mandatory bargaining around any new proposals until November 1, 2024.

The outcome of the ratification process for the outstanding tentative agreements cannot be predicted with certainty at this time; however, if one or more of the tentative agreements fails ratification and is not subsequently ratified during a final “status quo” period where self-help (strike or lockout) is not permitted, self-help could occur in mid-November or early December (dates vary by tentative agreement). In this scenario, the parties could voluntarily agree to further delay self-help and continue to pursue voluntary ratification, or Congress could take legislative action to preempt self-help and avert a service disruption. A service disruption, depending on the duration, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity. In addition, we understand the resulting changesimperative to continue improving quality of life for our craft employees and are actively engaged in voluntary local discussions with our finalized labor agreements (and our tentative agreements, if ratified) are expected to increase labor costs.

New Accounting Pronouncements

For a detailed discussion of new accounting pronouncements, see Note 12.unions on this important issue.

Inflation

In preparing financial statements, GAAP requires the use of historical cost that disregards the effects of inflation on the replacement cost of property.  As a capital-intensive company, we have most of our capital invested in long-

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livedlong-lived assets.  The replacement cost of these assets, as well as the related depreciation expense, would be substantially greater than the amounts reported on the basis of historical cost.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
Certain statements in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended.  These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or our achievements or those of our industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements.  In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,��� “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “consider,” “predict,” “potential,” “feel,” or other comparable terminology.  We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates, beliefs, and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates, beliefs, and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control.  These and other important factors, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” in our latest Form 10-K, as supplemented in Part II, Item 1 A of this Form 10-Q, as well as our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.  The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date they were first issued, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.


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Additional Information

Investors and others should note that we routinely use the Investor Relations, Performance Metrics, and Sustainability sections of our website (www.norfolksouthern.com/content/nscorp/en/investor-relations.html, http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/investor-relations/performance-metrics.html & www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/about-ns/sustainability.html) to post presentations to investors and other important information, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Information about us, including information that may be deemed material, may also be announced by posts on our social media channels, including Twitter (www.twitter.com/nscorp) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/norfolk-southern). We may also use our website and social media channels for the purpose of complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. As a result, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in Norfolk Southern to review the information posted on our website and social media channels. The information posted on our website and social media channels is not incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
 
The information required by this item is included in Part I, Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the heading “Financial Condition and Liquidity.”
 
Item 4.  Controls and Procedures
 
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
 
Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, with the assistance of management, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act)) at September 30, 2022.March 31, 2023.  Based on such evaluation, our officers have concluded that, at September 30, 2022,March 31, 2023, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in alerting them on a timely basis to material information required to be included in our periodic filings under the Exchange Act.

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Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
 
During the thirdfirst quarter of 2022,2023, we have not identified any changes in internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.



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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
 
Item 1.  Legal Proceedings
 
For information on our legal proceedings, see Note 1110 “Commitments and Contingencies” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item 1A. Risk Factors
 
The risks set forth in “Risk Factors” included in our 20212022 Form 10-K could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity in a particular year or quarter, and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements. Those risks remain unchanged and are incorporated herein by reference.reference and are updated to include the following risks.

INCIDENT RISKS

As defined and as further described in Note 10 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, there was an Incident that occurred in the first quarter that consisted of a February 3, 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that included 11 non-Company-owned tank cars containing hazardous materials, fires associated with the derailment that threatened certain of the tank cars, and a controlled vent and burn procedure conducted on February 6, 2023 on five of the derailed tank cars, all of which contained vinyl chloride. As a result of the Incident, we have become subject to numerous legal, regulatory, legislative and other proceedings related thereto, including but not limited to, the NTSB Investigation, the FRA Incident Investigation, the FRA Safety Assessment, the DOJ Complaint, the Ohio Complaint, the Incident Lawsuits, the Shareholder Lawsuits, and the Incident Inquiries and Investigations, in addition to other proceedings, actions, or potential changes in response to the Incident, including but not limited to those related to, among other items, train size, train length, train composition, or crew size (collectively, the “Incident Proceedings”). Set forth below are additional risks pertaining to an investment in the Company that are related to the Incident and the Incident Proceedings.

New or additional governmental regulation and/or operational changes resulting from or related to the Incident or the Incident Proceedings may negatively impact us, our customers, the rail industry, or the markets we serve. The legislative, regulatory, operational or other actions taken, protocols adopted (including by us), or changes resulting from the Incident or any of the Incident Proceedings may, either individually or in the aggregate, negatively impact us, our customers, the rail industry, or the markets we serve. Our inability to comply with the requirements of any new or additional laws, regulations or operating protocols resulting from or related to the Incident or the Incident Proceedings may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, liquidity, or operations.

The costs, liabilities, fines, penalties, and/or financial impact resulting from or related to the Incident or the Incident Proceedings may be significant, exceed expected or accrued amounts, or negatively affect our financial results. We have incurred and will continue to remain subject to incurring significant costs, liabilities, fines, and penalties related to the Incident and the Incident Proceedings, including amounts that may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.

In addition, while we have provided estimates of probable and reasonably estimable liabilities with respect to the Incident and the Incident Proceedings, we cannot predict the final outcome or estimate the reasonably possible range of loss with certainty and such estimates may change over time due to a variety of factors, including unfavorable or unexpected developments or outcomes which could result in our current estimates being insufficient. These estimated amounts also do not include any estimate of loss for specific items for which we believe a loss is either not probable or not reasonably estimable for the reasons set forth in Note 10 hereto. As a result, our currently accrued amounts of estimated liabilities may be insufficient, and any additional, new or updated accruals may potentially have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.


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Item 2.  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 
Period
(a) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased (1)
(b) Average Price Paid per Share (or Unit)
(c) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (2)
(d) Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares (or Units) that may yet be purchased under the Plans or Programs (2)
July 1-31, 20221,129,867  $231.31 1,129,867  $8,884,909,445  
August 1-31, 20221,166,795  254.47 1,166,795  8,587,999,396  
September 1-30, 20221,179,619  230.72 1,179,619  8,315,840,542  
Total3,476,281   3,476,281    
Period
(a) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased (1)
(b) Average Price Paid per Share (or Unit)
(c) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (2)
(d) Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares (or Units) that may yet be purchased under the Plans or Programs (2)
January 1-31, 2023491,282  $252.38 490,984  $7,365,890,306  
February 1-28, 2023157,502  245.64 157,194  7,327,270,905  
March 1-31, 2023—  — —  7,327,270,905  
Total648,784   648,178    
 
(1)Of this amount, no606 represent shares were tendered by employees in connection with the exercise of options under the stockholder-approved LTIP.
(2)On March 29, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized a new program for the repurchase of up to $10.0 billion of Common Stock beginning April 1, 2022. As of September 30, 2022, $8.3March 31, 2023, $7.3 billion remains authorized for repurchase. Our previous share repurchase program terminated on March 31, 2022.

Item 3.  Defaults Upon Senior Securities

None. 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

Item 5.  Other Information

None.


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Item 6. Exhibits
 
4.1
10.1*
10.2*
31-A*
31-B*
32*
101*
The following financial information from Norfolk Southern Corporation’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the thirdfirst quarter of 2022,2023, formatted in Inline Extensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) includes (i) the Consolidated Statements of Income for the thirdfirst quarter of 2023 and first nine months of 2022 and 2021;2022; (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the thirdfirst quarter of 2023 and first nine months of 2022 and 2021;2022; (iii) the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2022March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2021;2022; (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the first ninethree months of 20222023 and 2021;2022; (v) the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the thirdfirst quarter of 2023 and first nine months of 2022 and 2021;2022; and (vi) the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
104*Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).
*  Filed herewith.


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SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION
Registrant
Date:OctoberApril 26, 20222023/s/ Claiborne L. Moore
Claiborne L. Moore
Vice President and Controller
(Principal Accounting Officer) (Signature)
Date:OctoberApril 26, 20222023/s/ Denise W. Hutson
Denise W. Hutson
Corporate Secretary (Signature)


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