Strong Q3 results at Canadian National

Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
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CN to offer new intermodal service between Moncton and Halifax

Canadian National last week reported its financial and operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.

“CN delivered strong results, despite a softening economy,” said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer of CN. “Our team of experienced railroaders swiftly aligned resources with the weaker demand to achieve solid efficiency gains. We remain committed to our long-term agenda of growing faster than the economy at low incremental cost, and to taking Scheduled Railroading to the next level by deploying advanced operating technology.”

Financial results highlights
Third-quarter 2019 compared to third-quarter 2018

Revenues increased by four per cent, or C$142 million, to C$3,830 million.
Diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased by eight per cent (or 11 per cent on an adjusted basis (1)) to C$1.66.
Operating ratio of 57.9 per cent, an improvement of 1.6 points.
Operating income increased by eight per cent, or C$121 million, to C$1,613 million.
Strong balance sheet with adjusted debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA of less than 2.0X (1).
Revised 2019 financial outlook (2)
In light of the deterioration in North American rail demand, as the economy continues to weaken, CN is now targeting to deliver 2019 adjusted diluted EPS growth in the high single-digit range this year versus last year’s adjusted diluted EPS of C$5.50 (1), compared with its July 23, 2019 financial outlook which called for low double-digit growth in adjusted diluted EPS; and now assumes slightly negative volume growth in 2019 in terms of revenue ton miles (RTMs).

Third-quarter 2019 revenues, traffic volumes and expenses
Revenues for the third quarter of 2019 were C$3,830 million, an increase of C$142 million or four per cent, when compared to the same period in 2018. The increase was mainly due to freight rate increases and higher intermodal revenues.

RTMs, measuring the relative weight and distance of freight transported by CN, declined by one per cent from the year-earlier period. Freight revenue per RTM increased by six per cent over the year-earlier period, mainly driven by freight rate increases and higher intermodal revenues.

Operating expenses for the third quarter increased by one per cent to C$2,217 million, mainly driven by increased purchased services and material expense, as well as higher depreciation and amortization expense; partly offset by lower fuel costs and record fuel productivity.

(1) Non-GAAP Measures
CN reports its financial results in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). CN also uses non-GAAP measures in this news release that do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP, such as adjusted performance measures. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. For further details of these non-GAAP measures, including a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, refer to the attached supplementary schedule, Non-GAAP Measures.

CN’s full-year adjusted diluted EPS outlook (2) excludes the expected impact of certain income and expense items, as well as those items noted in the reconciliation tables provided in the attached supplementary schedule, Non-GAAP Measures. However, management cannot individually quantify on a forward-looking basis the impact of these items on its EPS because these items, which could be significant, are difficult to predict and may be highly variable. As a result, CN does not provide a corresponding GAAP measure for, or reconciliation to, its adjusted diluted EPS outlook.

(2) Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company cautions that its assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “outlook,” “plans,” “targets,” or other similar words.

2019 key assumptions
CN has made a number of economic and market assumptions in preparing its 2019 outlook. The Company now assumes that North American industrial production for the year will increase in the range of 0.5 to one per cent (compared to its July 23, 2019 assumption of approximately one per cent), and continues to assume U.S. housing starts of approximately 1.25 million units and U.S. motor vehicle sales of approximately 17 million units. For the 2018/2019 crop year, the grain crops in both Canada and the United States were in line with their respective three-year averages. The Company assumes that the 2019/2020 grain crop in Canada will be in line with the three-year average and that the 2019/2020 grain crop in the United States will be below the three-year average. CN now assumes RTM volume growth in 2019 will be slightly negative compared to 2018 (compared to its July 23, 2019 assumption that total RTMs would increase in the mid single digits). CN assumes continued pricing above rail inflation. CN assumes that in 2019, the value of the Canadian dollar in U.S. currency will be approximately $0.75, and now assumes that in 2019 the average price of crude oil (West Texas Intermediate) will be in the range of US$55 to US$60 per barrel (compared to its July 23, 2019 assumption in the range of US$60 to US$65 per barrel). In 2019, CN plans to invest approximately C$3.9 billion in its capital program, of which C$1.6 billion is targeted toward track and railway infrastructure maintenance.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results or performance of the Company to be materially different from the outlook or any future results or performance implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effects of general economic and business conditions; industry competition; inflation, currency and interest rate fluctuations; changes in fuel prices; legislative and/or regulatory developments; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; actions by regulators; increases in maintenance and operating costs; security threats; reliance on technology and related cybersecurity risk; trade restrictions or other changes to international trade arrangements; transportation of hazardous materials; various events which could disrupt operations, including natural events such as severe weather, droughts, fires, floods and earthquakes; climate change; labor negotiations and disruptions; environmental claims; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; risks and liabilities arising from derailments; timing and completion of capital programs; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by CN with securities regulators in Canada and the United States. Reference should be made to Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in CN’s annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators and available on CN’s website, for a description of major risk factors.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. CN assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event CN does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

This earnings news release, as well as additional information, including the Financial Statements, Notes thereto and MD&A, is contained in CN’s Quarterly Review available on the Company’s website at www.cn.ca/financial-results and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com as well as on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov through EDGAR.

A Canadian National news release.  cn.ca.com.

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