Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE:NSC) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for net income of $1.39 per share, a rise of 39% from the company’s actual earnings for the same quarter a year ago. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved up from $1.31. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved up. It has risen from $1.38 during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting profit of $5.34 per share, a rise of 36.6% from last year.

The company has beaten estimates the last two quarters and is coming off a quarter where it topped the forecasts by 18 cents, reporting net income of $1.59 per share against a mean estimate of profit of $1.41. In the second quarter, the company exceeded forecasts by 9 cents with net income of $1.38 versus a mean estimate of profit of $1.29. On average, analysts predict $2.83 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 18.4% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $11.19 billion for the year, a rise of 17.5% from last year’s revenue of $9.52 billion.

Competitors to Watch: CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX), Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU), Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP), Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC (BNI), Providence & Worcester Railroad Co. (NASDAQ:PWX), Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI), Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (NYSE:CP), Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (NYSE:GWR), Pioneer Railcorp (PRRR), and RailAmerica, Inc. (NYSE:RA).

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for net income of $1.36 per share, a rise of 0.7% from the company’s actual earnings for the same quarter a year ago. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved down from $1.44. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has been unchanged at $1.36 during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting profit of $5.99 per share, a rise of 4.5% from last year.

Last quarter, the company saw net income of $1.51 per share versus a mean estimate of profit of $1.51 per share. This comes after two consecutive quarters of exceeding expectations. On average, analysts predict $2.53 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 5.9% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $10.55 billion for the year, a rise of 4.7% from last year’s revenue of $10.08 billion.

Competitors to Watch: Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG), Praxair, Inc. (NYSE:PX) and Rentech, Inc. (AMEX:RTK).

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