Norfolk Southern Corp.

Three Commercial Pl.

Year founded: 1982

Industry: Transportation

Post 200 Category: Top Companies Headquartered in Virginia

Revenue: $7.31 Billion

Net Income/Loss: $923.00 Million

Earnings per share: $2.31

Dividend: $0.36

Stockholder equity: $7.99 Billion

Auditor: KPMG LLP

Stock: NSC

Assets: $24.75 Billion

Market capitalization: $13.48 Billion

52-week high: 38.99 3/22/2005

52-week low: 21.54 4/20/2004

Chairman and CEO: David R. Goode

President: Charles W. Moorman

Employees: 28057

Local employees: 9

Description: Norfolk Southern controls one of the largest freight railway companies in the country, with track in 22 Eastern states and Ontario and serving 20 ports. Its customers include auto companies, such as Ford, Toyota and General Motors; coal companies; chemical companies; and United Parcel Service.

Developments: Norfolk Southern's business grew, along with its profit for nearly every sector of the market it serves, as the nation's economy improved last year. Much of the growth came from transporting imported goods and merchandise. The company also capitalized on surging fuel prices by wooing customers who normally rely on truck transportation to switch to the railroad. The company's business transporting automobiles was up only slightly this year, because of lagging sales in the auto industry, which typically is one of the company's profit drivers. Norfolk Southern's profit rose to $923 million, compared with $535 million in 2003. This year, the company must pay $30 million to $40 million to clean up and assist Graniteville, S.C., where a Norfolk Southern train derailed and punctured a tank car filled with chlorine. The accident, which killed nine people, was one of the deadliest involving hazardous materials in 20 years.