CP is still on a roll

Article Excerpt

Railways have been around since the 19th century, and they are still the safest, most energy-efficient way to move goods over land. They also face little competition from new competitors, because of the high cost of building new rail lines. Canadian Pacific remains our favourite railway for new buying. It has close relationships with major producers of coal, potash and other commodities. That gives it predictable revenue streams. As well, new, fuel-efficient locomotives and scheduling software are lowering CP’s costs. CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $63 (Toronto symbol CP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 168.7 million; Market cap: $10.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 1.7%; SI Rating: Above Average) transports freight over a 25,000-kilometre rail network between Montreal and Vancouver. It also connects with major hubs in the U.S. Midwest and Northeast. The U.S. accounts for 30% of CP’s revenue. CP got 27% of its 2009 revenue by hauling shipping containers that contain a variety of goods. Grain…