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CN Announces Fourth Quarter and Year-End Results

In This Article:

Canadian National Railway Company
Canadian National Railway Company

Railroad Expects to Deliver 10%-15% EPS Growth in 2025

MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) today reported its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.

“Thanks to our team and the strength of our operating model, we were able to quickly recover from several shocks across the supply chain in 2024. We have good momentum as 2025 begins, and we are well positioned to drive growth with our customers and operating leverage across our system.”
– Tracy Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer, CN

Financial results highlights
Fourth-quarter 2024 compared to fourth-quarter 2023

  • Revenue ton miles (RTMs) of 59,305 (millions), a decrease of 3%.

  • Revenues of C$4,358 million, a decrease of C$113 million, or 3%.

  • Operating income of C$1,628 million, a decrease of C$190 million, or 10%.

  • Operating ratio, defined as operating expenses as a percentage of revenues, of 62.6%, an increase of 3.3-points.

  • Diluted earnings per share (EPS) of C$1.82, a decrease of 45%, or a decrease of 10% on an adjusted basis. (1)

Full-year 2024 compared to full-year 2023

  • RTMs of 235,538 (millions), an increase of 1%.

  • Revenues of C$17,046 million, an increase of C$218 million, or 1%.

  • Operating income of C$6,247 million, a decrease of C$350 million, or 5%.

  • Operating ratio of 63.4%, an increase of 2.6 points, and adjusted operating ratio of 62.9%, an increase of 2.1 points. (1)

  • Diluted EPS of C$7.01, a decrease of 18% and adjusted diluted EPS of C$7.10, a decrease of 2%. (1)

  • Return on invested capital (ROIC) of 12.9%, a decrease of 3.9 points and adjusted ROIC of 13.1%, a decrease of 1.4-points. (1)

2025 guidance and long-term financial outlook (1)(2)
In 2025, CN expects to deliver 10%-15% adjusted diluted EPS growth and plans to invest approximately C$3.4 billion in its capital program, net of amounts reimbursed by customers.

Over the 2024-2026 period, CN continues to target compounded annual adjusted diluted EPS growth in the high single-digit range.

Shareholder returns
The Company’s Board of Directors approved a 5% increase to CN’s 2025 quarterly cash dividend, effective for the first quarter of 2025. This is the 29th consecutive year of dividend increases, demonstrating our confidence in the long-term financial health of the Company. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors also approved a new Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) that permits CN to purchase, for cancellation, over a 12-month period up to 20 million common shares, starting on February 4, 2025, and ending no later than February 3, 2026. CN continues to manage to its adjusted debt-to-adjusted EBITDA target of 2.5x. (1)(2)