Rising volumes should spur CP’s growth

Article Excerpt

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $229 (Toronto symbol CP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 144.2 million; Market cap: $33.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 5.1; Dividend yield: 1.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cpr.ca) transports freight over a 22,000-kilometre rail network between Montreal and Vancouver, and to hubs in the U.S. Midwest and Northeast. In the three months ended December 31, 2017, CP’s revenue rose 4.6%, to $1.71 billion from $1.64 billion a year earlier. Higher revenue from shipping oil, metals, minerals and potash helped offset declines in fertilizers (other than potash), grain and automotive equipment. Earnings in the quarter rose 4.7%, to $469 million from $448 million. Due to fewer shares outstanding, per-share earnings gained 5.9%, to $3.22 from $3.04. Those figures exclude unusual items, among them a $527 million tax recovery stemming from changes to the U.S. tax code. The company continues to boost its efficiency with new locomotives and train tracks, and software to optimize its trainloads and speeds. Thanks…