Topic: Dividend Stocks

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $97 – Toronto symbol CP

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $97 (Toronto symbol CP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 173.0 million; Market cap: $16.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.0; Dividend yield: 1.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cpr.ca) plans to cut 25% of its workforce as part of a major restructuring plan aimed at improving its efficiency. CP is also increasing the length and speed of its trains. The plan should cut CP’s operating ratio from 74.1% in the third quarter of 2012 to 65% in 2016. (Operating ratio is calculated by dividing regular operating costs by revenue—the lower, the better.)

In addition, CP has suspended its plan to build new rail lines that would have served coal mines in Montana and Wyoming. That’s because power plants are switching to cheaper natural gas, which has hurt demand for coal. As a result, CP will take a $180-million charge. That’s equal to 80% of the $224 million, or $1.30 a share, that it earned in the third quarter.

CP Rail was our #1 buy for 2012. It’s still a buy.

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