CPKC rejects participation in rail industry consolidation

Published 26/08/2025, 13:54
CPKC rejects participation in rail industry consolidation

CALGARY - Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX:CP) (NYSE:CP), a $67.3 billion market cap railway giant with impressive gross profit margins of 52.5%, announced Tuesday it will not participate in further rail industry consolidation, despite suggestions from others in the sector. According to InvestingPro data, the company maintains a perfect Piotroski Score of 9, indicating strong financial health.

The railway company stated it does not believe additional consolidation is necessary for the industry as currently structured, according to a press release. CPKC plans to focus instead on leveraging its existing three-nation network that connects shippers across North America. With EBITDA of $5.75 billion in the last twelve months, the company’s financial performance supports this strategic direction.

"We believe that a transcontinental merger would trigger permanent restructuring of the industry and result in a disproportionately large railway whose size and scope would require others to take action," said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO.

The company expressed concerns that major rail mergers pose "unique and unprecedented risks" to customers, employees and the broader supply chain, with those risks potentially worsened by follow-on consolidation.

CPKC emphasized that the six major railways currently operating in the United States can already offer high-quality transportation services across the continent. The company pointed to existing partnerships, such as its recent collaboration with CSX on the Southeast Mexico Express service, as evidence that benefits can be achieved without formal mergers.

According to the statement, the U.S. rail network currently has sufficient capacity and operational capability to drive service improvements and volume growth for years to come. CPKC argued that the public interest is better served by railroads focusing on delivering reliable service and investing in network capacity rather than pursuing additional consolidation in an already consolidated industry.

CPKC was formed through the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, creating the first single-line transnational railway linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico. InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is currently slightly undervalued, with analysts setting price targets ranging from $72.49 to $96.67. For deeper insights into CPKC’s valuation and growth prospects, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available exclusively on InvestingPro.

In other recent news, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) reported its second-quarter 2025 earnings, which showed a slight miss on both earnings per share (EPS) and revenue forecasts. The company posted an EPS of $1.12, just shy of the anticipated $1.13, and generated $3.7 billion in revenue, falling short of the expected $3.8 billion. Meanwhile, Stephens raised its price target for CPKC to $97.00 from $95.00, maintaining an Overweight rating despite the earnings miss. This adjustment reflects a belief in the company’s potential, despite lower revenue per carload and a slightly higher operating ratio.

Additionally, CPKC amended its credit agreement to extend loan maturities, partnering with Bank of Montreal and various lenders. Evercore has expressed a preference for CPKC stock amid new intermodal services and merger-related uncertainties affecting U.S. rail companies. In related news, CSX Corporation announced new intermodal services with BNSF Railway, connecting Southern California with North Carolina and Jacksonville, among other routes. Bernstein suggested that investors might have overreacted to this announcement. These developments highlight ongoing changes in the rail industry and their potential impact on key players.

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