Ruling cuts Teck’s rail costs

Article Excerpt

TECK RESOURCES LTD. $18 (Toronto symbol TCK.B; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 486.9 million; Market cap: $8.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; SI Rating: Extra Risk) will see its coal-shipping costs fall by $70 million this year following a favourable arbitration ruling over CP Rail. The two companies could not agree to a new contract, so Teck opted for arbitration. To put these savings in context, Teck earned $227 million, or $0.47 a share, in the first quarter of 2009. Separately, Teck has reached a new deal with CN Rail that will see CN ship more of Teck’s coal. Being able to use both CP and CN should help Teck improve its efficiency. Teck Resources is a buy. buy…