The US economy may be going off the rails, but dont tell that to the men who make the trains run on time. It would seem like the four big freight railroad companies that haul much of Americas industrial output and deliver commodities from coast to coast would be the first to feel the pain of the sharp downturn. Instead they are thriving. Recent quarterly reports for Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe revealed an average of 29 per cent earnings per share growth versus the same period a year ago with all four beating consensus forecasts and issuing mostly upbeat guidance.
This stands in stark contrast to the ailing trucking industry or indicators like the Baltic Dry Index, measuring bulk shipping rates, which is off a whopping 90 per cent since June. The reason for the huge discrepancy is the quasi-monopolistic nature of railroads and long-term tariff agreements. The sectors return on equity climbed enough to attract Warren Buffetts interest in BNSF last year.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/fcc2a4d2-a5...658.html&_i_referer=http://www.ft.com/home/uk
This stands in stark contrast to the ailing trucking industry or indicators like the Baltic Dry Index, measuring bulk shipping rates, which is off a whopping 90 per cent since June. The reason for the huge discrepancy is the quasi-monopolistic nature of railroads and long-term tariff agreements. The sectors return on equity climbed enough to attract Warren Buffetts interest in BNSF last year.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/fcc2a4d2-a5...658.html&_i_referer=http://www.ft.com/home/uk