New CEO pays off for CP Rail

Article Excerpt

CP is up almost 24% since we recommended it in March 2012. That was just after we made CP our “Stock of the Year” for 2012 in The Successful Investor, our conservative growth advisory. Since then, prominent U.S. hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management has successfully installed Hunter Harrison, Canadian National Railway’s former chief executive, as CP’s CEO. That move is already paying off—and we think there are more gains ahead. CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY $91.88 (Toronto symbol CP; Shares outstanding: 171.7 million; Market cap: $15.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.5%; www.cpr.ca), transports freight between Montreal and Vancouver and connects with hubs in the U.S. midwest and northeast. In the quarter ended September 30, 2012, CP’s revenue rose 8.2%, to $1.45 billion from $1.34 billion a year earlier. Earnings rose 19.8%, to $224 million, or $1.30 a share, from $187 million, or $1.10. CP’s operating ratio improved to 74.1% from 75.8%, a year ago. (Operating ratio is calculated by dividing regular operating…