FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 	 January 29, 2003 - Net income climbed 12 percent in the fourth quarter and 23 percent for the year. - Earnings per share increased 10 percent to $0.33 per diluted share in the fourth quarter and 22 percent to $1.18 per diluted share for the year. - Railway operating revenues set records for the fourth quarter and the full year. NORFOLK SOUTHERN REPORTS FOURTH-QUARTER AND 2002 RESULTS NEW YORK, N.Y. - Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today reported fourth-quarter net income of $129 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, up 12 percent compared with net income of $115 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2001. For the year, net income was $460 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, up 23 percent, compared to $375 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, in the same period a year earlier. Net income during 2001 included an after-tax gain of $13 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, from the 1998 sale of a former motor carrier subsidiary. "I am pleased with the substantial improvements in income and operations during the quarter and 2002 in a year filled with challenges for everyone in business," said David R. Goode, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "The value of service improvements is making itself apparent." Railway operating revenues set record highs for both the fourth quarter and the year. In the quarter, revenues reached $1.58 billion, up three percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2001, and for the year, revenues of $6.27 billion rose two percent compared with the same period in 2001. Fourth-quarter general merchandise revenues of $914 million reflected a five percent improvement compared to the fourth quarter of 2001. All market groups showed revenue gains compared to the same period of 2001, led by a seven percent improvement in automotive. For the year, general merchandise revenues of $3.65 billion increased three percent compared with 2001 and set a record. Intermodal revenues in the fourth quarter were $306 million, an increase of five percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2001. For the year, intermodal revenues of $1.18 billion were the highest of any year in Norfolk Southern's history and improved five percent compared with 2001. The revenue growth reflects the introduction of new services that enabled conversion of highway movements to rail as well as improvements in on-time reliability and service speed. Coal revenues declined two percent in the fourth quarter to $361 million in the face of less demand for utility coal and decreased five percent for the year to $1.44 billion compared to strong 2001 results. Railway operating expenses in the quarter were $1.3 billion, up three percent from the fourth quarter of 2001. For the year, railway operating expenses were $5.1 billion, down $51 million, or one percent, from 2001. For the quarter, the railway operating ratio improved to 81.8 percent compared with 82.0 percent in the same period of 2001. For the year, the operating ratio improved to 81.5 percent, compared with 83.7 percent a year earlier. "Our results show that Norfolk Southern is on course and headed in the right direction," Goode said. Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates 21,500 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NS operates the East's most extensive intermodal network and is the nation's largest rail carrier of automotive parts and finished vehicles. # # # Media Contact: Bob Fort, Norfolk, 757-629-2710 Investor Contact: Leanne McGruder, Norfolk, 757-629-2861 World Wide Web Site: www.nscorp.com <page> Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) ($ millions except per share) Three Months Ended December 31, ------------------ 2002 2001 ---- ---- Railway operating revenues: Coal $ 361 $ 367 General merchandise 914 871 Intermodal 306 292 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING REVENUES 1,581 1,530 ------- ------- Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits 513 515 Materials, services and rents 368 332 Conrail rents and services 96 97 Depreciation 130 130 Diesel fuel 96 96 Casualties and other claims 42 34 Other 48 51 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING EXPENSES 1,293 1,255 ------- ------- Income from railway operations 288 275 Other income - net 26 32 Interest expense on debt (128) (136) ------- ------- Income before income taxes 186 171 Provision (benefit) for income taxes: Current 18 61 Deferred 39 (5) ------- ------- TOTAL INCOME TAXES 57 56 ------- ------- NET INCOME $ 129 $ 115 ======= ======= Earnings per share: Basic and diluted $ 0.33 $ 0.30 Average shares outstanding (000's) 388,876 385,714 See notes to financial statements. - ------------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) ($ millions except per share) Years Ended December 31, ----------------------- 2002 2001 ---- ---- Railway operating revenues: Coal $ 1,441 $ 1,521 General merchandise 3,648 3,526 Intermodal 1,181 1,123 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING REVENUES 6,270 6,170 ------- ------- Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits 2,022 2,014 Materials, services and rents 1,457 1,444 Conrail rents and services 412 421 Depreciation 515 514 Diesel fuel 342 412 Casualties and other claims 171 143 Other 193 215 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING EXPENSES 5,112 5,163 ------- ------- Income from railway operations 1,158 1,007 Other income - net 66 99 Interest expense on debt (518) (553) ------- ------- Income from continuing operations before income taxes 706 553 Provision for income taxes: Current 68 147 Deferred 178 44 ------- ------- TOTAL INCOME TAXES 246 191 ------- ------- Income from continuing operations 460 362 Discontinued operations - gain on sale of motor carrier, net of taxes (note 1) -- 13 ------ ------- NET INCOME $ 460 $ 375 ======= ======= Earnings per share: Income from continuing operations, basic and diluted $ 1.18 $ 0.94 Net income, basic and diluted $ 1.18 $ 0.97 Average shares outstanding (000's) 388,213 385,158 See notes to financial statements. - --------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) ($ millions) As of December 31, ----------------- 2002 2001 ---- ---- ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 184 $ 204 Accounts receivable - net (note 2) 683 475 Due from Conrail 6 8 Materials and supplies 97 90 Deferred income taxes 187 162 Other current assets 142 108 ------- ------- Total current assets 1,299 1,047 Investment in Conrail 6,178 6,161 Properties less accumulated depreciation 11,370 11,208 Other assets 1,109 1,002 ------- ------- TOTAL ASSETS $ 19,956 $ 19,418 ======= ======= LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 908 $ 848 Income and other taxes 269 312 Due to Conrail 86 373 Other current liabilities 232 248 Current maturities of long-term debt 358 605 ------- ------- Total current liabilities 1,853 2,386 Long-term debt 7,006 7,027 Other liabilities 1,029 1,089 Due to Conrail 513 -- Minority interests 45 45 Deferred income taxes 3,010 2,781 ------- ------- TOTAL LIABILITIES 13,456 13,328 ------- ------- Stockholders' equity: Common stock $1.00 per share par value 410 407 Additional paid-in capital 481 423 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (65) (55) Retained income 5,694 5,335 ------- ------- 6,520 6,110 Less treasury stock at cost, 21,169,125 shares (20) (20) ------- ------- TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 6,500 6,090 ------- ------- TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 19,956 $ 19,418 ======= ======= See notes to financial statements. - ------------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Years Ended December 31, ($ millions) ------------------ 2002 2001 ---- ---- CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net income $ 460 $ 375 Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 529 527 Deferred income taxes 178 44 Equity in earnings of Conrail (54) (44) Gains on properties and investments (47) (59) Income from discontinued operations (note 1)-- (13) Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations: Accounts receivable (note 2) (208) (74) Materials and supplies (7) 1 Other current assets and due from Conrail 1 46 Current liabilities other than debt 35 (27) Other - net (84) (122) ------- ------- Net cash provided by operating activities 803 654 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Property additions (689) (746) Property sales and other transactions 31 156 Investments, including short-term (78) (99) Investment sales and other transactions 63 88 ------- ------- Net cash used for investing activities (673) (601) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Dividends (101) (93) Common stock issued - net 42 14 Proceeds from borrowings 672 1,995 Debt repayments (763) (1,765) ------- ------- Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities (150) 151 ------- ------- Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (20) 204 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: At beginning of year 204 -- ------- ------- At end of year $ 184 $ 204 ======= ======= SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH-FLOW INFORMATION Cash paid during the year for: Interest (net of amounts capitalized) $ 525 $ 550 Income taxes $ 54 $ 74 See notes to financial statements. - ------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: 1. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS - First quarter 2001 included an additional after-tax gain of $13 million, or 3 cents per share, related to the 1998 sale of NS' motor carrier subsidiary, North American Van Lines, Inc. This non-cash gain resulted from the expiration of certain indemnities contained in the sales agreement. 2. SALES OF ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE - A bankruptcy-remote special purpose subsidiary of NS sells without recourse undivided ownership interests in a pool of accounts receivable. Accounts receivable sold under this arrangement, and therefore not included in "Accounts receivable - net" on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, were $30 million at December 31, 2002, and $300 million at December 31, 2001.