CP Rail set for next growth surge

Article Excerpt

CP Rail hit an all-time high of $248 in October 2014, following a major cost-cutting plan put in place by CEO Hunter Harrison, who was installed by a prominent U.S. hedge fund in 2012. The stock has moved down lately, as the railway has shipped less crude oil and other commodities. However, CP’s improving efficiency sets it up for more gains as the economy rebounds. CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY $181.50 (Toronto symbol CP; Shares outstanding: 161.0 million; Market cap: $27.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Yield: 0.8%; www.cpr.ca) ships freight over a 22,000-kilometre rail network between Montreal and Vancouver and links with hubs in the U.S. Midwest and northeast. In the three months ended September 30, 2015, CP’s earnings per share rose 16.5%, to $2.69 from $2.31 a year earlier. Revenue increased 2.3%, to $1.71 billion from $1.67 billion. CP’s operating ratio improved to a record 59.9% from 62.8% a year ago. (Operating ratio is calculated by dividing regular operating costs…