Railroad News

Last month, two western (well, west of the Mississippi) railroads reported above-consensus first-quarter earnings: Kansas City Southern, which grew year over year (YOY) by 18 percent (adjusted, versus Street estimates of around 10 percent); and Union Pacific Railroad, in its weather-dominated quarter, by 15 percent YOY (versus around 12 percent). KCS lowered its operating ratio by 160 basis points (bps) to (adjusted) 64.2, and UP lowered its OR by a point — having absorbed a 160bps weather impact — to 63.6. It was also noted that “at Union Pacific, we do not include real estate sales in our OR.” Zing! But more than the results — it was the differing tones and tenors of the earnings' webcasts that struck me.

Kansas City Southern has reorganized its leadership in charge of the chemical, petroleum, industrial and consumer commodity groups, the Class I announced today.

KCS has appointed Ginger Adamiak vice president of energy and chemical products, adding chemical and petroleum in the United States and Mexico to her responsibilities. She previously served as VP energy, industrial development and innovation.

Kansas City Southern today reported record first-quarter revenue of $675 million, up 6 percent from the prior year on a 1 percent decline in volume.

KCS attributed an overall decline in carload volumes primarily to service interruptions at Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico that were caused by teacher protests, company officials said in a press release.

Today, Kansas City Southern reported record fourth-quarter revenue of $694 million, up 5 percent compared with the total in fourth-quarter 2017.

The Class I also registered record adjusted operating income of $248 million, up 4 percent, and record adjusted earnings per share of $1.56, up 13 percent  year over year. In addition, KCS’ operating ratio improved 0.9 points to 63.1, although the adjusted ratio inched up 0.3 points to 64.3.

Kansas City Southern yesterday announced the retirement of W. James Wochner as senior vice president and chief legal officer, effective March 31, 2019.

In addition, Adam Godderz will be promoted from associate general counsel and corporate secretary to general counsel and corporate secretary for KCS and the Kansas City Southern Railway Co. on Jan. 1, 2019, company officials said in a press release.

Kansas City Southern's 18th annual Holiday Express will distribute a total of $171,756 in gift cards to The Salvation Army at stops along its route starting Nov. 21.

The holiday train will visit 22 communities on 27 dates, starting in Shreveport, Louisiana, and wrapping up Dec. 18 in Kansas City, Missouri. Other stops in other states include Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois. A complete schedule is available on the KCS website.

Kansas City Southern has been recognized as one of the 2018 CIO 100 for exemplifying operational and strategic excellence in information technology (IT).

KCS will be honored at the CIO 100 Symposium & Awards Ceremony to be held Aug. 15 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Each year, the IDG's CIO highlights technology innovation and business value delivered by the award winners.

Kansas City Southern announced Wednesday that it will spend $13 million this year on construction and improvement projects on its Greenville subdivision in Texas and Louisiana.

KCS has slated rail, crosstie and crossing improvements between Leesburg, Texas, and Blanchard, La., starting Aug. 23 through September, according to a company press release.

Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern, has experienced service interruptions due to civil protests near its rail network in Mexico, railroad officials announced yesterday.

Led by teachers, the civil disobedience protests that have blocked freight trains are directed at the Mexican government over education reforms, according to news reports.

Kansas City Southern's second-quarter 2016 revenue declined 3 percent to $569 million, but operating income jumped 18 percent to $220 million compared with the same period a year ago, the Class I announced this morning.

Excluding the estimated impact of Mexican peso depreciation and lower U.S. fuel prices, KCS' revenue rose 2 percent compared with the previous year's quarter, company officials said in a press release.

Green Plains Inc. and Jefferson Gulf Coast Energy Partners have formed a joint venture to construct and operate an intermodal fuels terminal at Jefferson's existing terminal in Beaumont, Texas.

The 50-50 joint venture is expected to invest about $55 million in the project's first phase, which will focus on storage and throughput capabilities for multiple grades of ethanol, according to the companies' press release.

Meridian Speedway LLC, a joint venture between Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern Railway, will invest $28 million in construction and improvements on the Vicksburg and Meridian subdivisions, KCS announced yesterday.

The joint venture is a 320-mile rail line between Meridian, Miss., and Shreveport, La., offering end-to-end steel wheel interchange for intermodal customers.

The BMW Group yesterday held a groundbreaking ceremony in San Luis Potosi for its first auto manufacturing plant in Mexico.

To launch production in 2019, the $1 billion plant will be served by Kansas City Southern de Mexico S.A. de C.V. (KCSM). The facility will be used to build the automaker's best-selling model, the BMW 3 Series Sedan. The plant's annual production capacity is projected at up to 150,000 vehicles.

Kansas City Southern yesterday announced Patrick Ottensmeyer will succeed David Starling as chief executive officer effective July 1. Starling will serve as senior adviser to Ottensmeyer until Starling retires on Dec. 31.

Ottensmeyer will retain the position of president, a title he's held since March 1, 2015. Starling will remain a member of KCS' board until May 2017. Ottensmeyer will join the board when he becomes CEO.

Despite facing lower carload volumes and flooding issues during the period, Kansas City Southern reported higher profit during first-quarter 2016 compared with first-quarter 2015.

KCS announced this morning that Q1 2016 net income rose to $108 million, or 99 cents per diluted share, from $101 million, or 91 cents per diluted share, in Q1 2015.

Kansas City Southern Railway Co. (KCSR) will spend $20 million on construction and improvement projects on its main line from Kansas through Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and northwest Louisiana, the railroad announced yesterday.

The projects include replacement of 6 miles of rail and 92,400 cross ties, as well as improvements to more than 100 grade crossings. Work will begin April 19 and end in mid-June, according to a KCSR press release.

Rangeland Energy is developing a South Texas Energy Products System (STEPS) terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Kansas City Southern's main line, the Class I announced last week on its website.

The terminal is expected to begin service in first-quarter 2017 for initial manifest shipments.