CN rebounds after its failed KCS takeover

Article Excerpt

CN’s shares initially fell after regulators rejected its merger with U.S. railway Kansas City Southern. Still, they quickly recovered and are now hitting record highs. Even so, we feel the stock should keep rising, particularly as CN’s new cost-cutting plan frees up cash for share buybacks and dividends. CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO. $164 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol CNR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 707.3 million; Market cap: $116.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 8.1; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cn.ca) operates Canada’s largest railway. Its 31,380-kilometre network stretches across the country and passes through the U.S. Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. As a result of strong economic growth and acquisitions, CN’s revenue gained 23.9%, from $12.04 billion in 2016 to $14.92 billion in 2019. The company’s earnings during those four years also improved 17.0%, from $3.58 billion in 2016 to $4.19 billion in 2019. Earnings per share jumped 26.4%, from $4.59 to $5.80, on fewer shares outstanding. Due…