Kansas City Southern’s first-quarter financials were slightly off from the prior-year period due to several factors, but the merger-bound Class I says it anticipates improved operating and service metrics and revenue growth this year.
Two first-quarter 2021 surveys of rail shippers on pricing and business outlook as well as equipment needs conducted by Cowen and Company analysts Jason Seidl (Managing Director and Railway Age Wall Street Contributing Editor), Matt Elkott and Elliot Alper indicate that, compared with the previous quarter, Class I railroad customers are anticipating somewhat higher rate increases, and a slight decline in new railcar demand.
At Cowen and Company, we are updating our rail models to reflect carload data and costs associated with severe weather and fuel in the first quarter.
Greenbrier’s fiscal second-quarter 2021 financial results (the company begins its fiscal year on Sept. 1 of the prior year) are based on a $2.5 billion railcar backlog of 24,900 as of Feb. 28.
The majority of shippers participating in Cowen and Company’s survey on the proposed Canadian Pacific (CP)/Kansas City Southern (KCS) merger have a positive view of the transaction, and merger synergies “look promising,” according to the firm, which released results March 29.
MidRail LLC Chairman Gil Lamphere and Watco CEO Dan Smith are joining an expert panel sharing growth strategies at Railway Age’s Next-Gen Freight Rail 2021, to be held virtually March 10.
Despite a challenging market, backlog remains strong, Wabtec Corp. reported during its fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 earnings release.
As part of Cowen and Company’s “Energy Transition Series,” analysts spoke with The Hydrogen Council Executive Director Daryl Wilson to explore the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies—from stationary to mobility applications. Also addressed were use-cases relating to complementary battery technology and costs of hydrogen as a fuel source. Cowen analysts discussed, too, how Cummins and Wabtec are operating in this market.
Kansas City Southern reported Jan. 22 that fourth-quarter 2020 revenue fell 5% to $693.4 million vs. $729.5 million in the comparable 2019 quarter. This was based on lower volumes (3% decline) related to a 59-day service disruption at Lazaro Cardenas due to teachers’ protests; lower fuel surcharge; and fluctuations in foreign currency.
Rail shippers in fourth-quarter 2020 expected price increases of 3.2% (up 10bps sequentially), and their sub-group of railcar buyers raised order expectations modestly, according to two surveys conducted by Cowen and Company analysts Jason H. Seidl (Managing Director and Railway Age Wall Street Contributing Editor), Matt Elkott and Elliot Alper.
