Edmond Harris
Analyst · Goldman Sachs
Thanks, Kathryn. It was indeed a busy quarter for us as we maintained some high levels of productivity and efficiency while delivering 9% more volumes in the quarter, as measured by carloads. In fact, I'm pleased to report that we posted some year-over-year improvements in key metrics. This was accomplished even while dealing with a number of supply chain and weather-related issues, which created some service delays and short-term declines in locomotive and railcar utilization. These difficulties have continued through the start of the first quarter. However, we have seen a significant improvement in network fluidity over the last few days; and hopefully, the most challenging conditions are now behind us. Our positive results in quarter four, Q4, were achieved by staying focused on our core priorities of safety, asset velocity, reliability and productivity. Turning to Slide 22. This quarter, personal safety improved 14% and train operations improved 18% over last year. Excellent results. I'm pleased with the intense focus in this area and our industry leading train operation safety. This discipline continues to serve us well in all aspects of our operations. Now please turn to Slide 23. Demand increased in quarter four and in aggregate exceeded the forecast provided by our customers. As a result of this higher-than-planned demand, the capabilities of many supply chain were taxed. And from a CP perspective, our railcar and locomotive utilization were impacted in the short term. We responded by fully deploying our mainline locomotive fleet and supplementing it with some of our smaller, less-efficient units where it made sense and implementing train design changes specifically targeted at recovering and regaining network fluidity. As anticipated, our fuel efficiency was impacted in the quarter by 2%. However, our initiatives such as implementation of fuel trip optimizer technology and longer trains delivered a 2% improvement for the year. All in all, I would have to say a good result given the current locomotive fleet profile and traffic mix. To deal with the supply chain issues, particularly at the Port of Vancouver, we elected to forgo some minor train productivity opportunities to keep assets moving and terminals fluid. As a result, as indicated on the slide, train weights and lengths were off in the quarter 1% and 2%, respectively. However, for the year, were up 2% on both measures and will continue to drive our long train initiatives. On to Slide 24. We continue to make improvements in key efficiency metrics. As expected, network speed was lower, consistent with the increased volumes and the very early onset of winter conditions in congested supply chains. Other key metrics showed positive results, continuing our improvement trend. Our terminal dwell time improved 4%, which is a good result given the increase in work levels. Our labor productivity, as measured by GTMs per employee, was up 10% for the quarter and 14% for the full year. We set a Q4 record delivering 4.5 million GTMs per expense employee. And our car miles per car day improved 3% for the quarter and was 6% better for the full year. Car miles per car day is a critical metric because it reflects the productivity of our key assets, yards, networks and rolling stock. We'll continue to focus on driving this metric and have already begun a pilot program to schedule our grain bulk operations in partnership with our supply chain participants. I am pleased with our early results but know we can and have much more to do. Before I sum up on Slide 25, I'll give you a quick update on labor. Negotiations continue with the Canadian Auto Workers' union, which represents our mechanical services employees. We're optimistic that a settlement can be reached. However, we do have contingency plans in place and will continue to operate in the event of a work stoppage. To sum up, on Slide 25. Our main focus will continue to be taking actions that will deliver sustainable improvements in asset velocity, service reliability and safety. Our 2011 plans include: Completing a series of targeted capacity and long siding projects to meet demand and improve productivity even further; continuing to deploy fuel trip optimizer and other locomotive technologies that will bring further improvements in fuel efficiency; hiring and training a significant number of new Running Trades employees through the course of the year to support growth and address anticipated attrition and retirements; completing the roll out of our yard initiatives in order to improve local service, asset velocity and create low-cost capacity for growth; and building on our existing safety framework. These are just a few of the actions we have planned to drive sustainable improvements in safety, service reliability and productivity. I'll now turn you over to Jane to cover the markets.
Jane O’Hagan: Thank you Ed, and good morning. Starting on Slide 27. This was our sixth quarter of sequential growth in revenue ton-mile, with RTMs increasing 3% over Q3 2010. On a year-over-year basis, Q4 carloads were up 9%, and volumes in many commodities are recovering to normal levels. In fact, Q4 revenue was our second highest reported for the quarter in our history. Revenue ton-miles or RTMs were up more than carloads, primarily due to the significant year-over-year increases in potash and new long-haul ethanol volumes. On a currency adjusted basis, revenues increased 15%. In addition to volumes of 9%, fuel surcharge revenues generated 2% of the gain, and price and mix contributed 4%. Renewals in the quarter came in just over 3% excluding Teck, and same-store price was just over 2%. Now I'll walk through the markets, giving comments on the quarter and some perspective on 2011. For clarity, I'll speak to currency adjusted revenues. Grain revenues were up 4%, and units were down 3%. In the U.S., our shipments increased, driven by record crops in our territory and strong demand for wheat, corn and soybeans. On the Canadian side, grain quality and international production issues created a strong West Coast demand pull. Vancouver shipments this crop year are up 13% higher than the five-year average, while sales to other markets were weaker than in 2009. As we look forward, we still expect first half grain volumes to be weaker than 2010. In Canada, we face difficult compares. The impacts of a 13% lower Western Canadian crop will only be partially offset by strong production and shipments on our U.S. franchise. Moving to coal, revenues were up 13% year-over-year, with volumes at similar levels to 2007. Met coal export demand to the West Coast remained strong. For 2011, the fundamentals behind Asian demand for metallurgical coal continue to support Canadian export volumes, and the Queensland flooding further supports a strong demand picture. Our new agreement with Teck comes into effect on April 1. We expect to see strong revenue growth in this portion of our coal portfolio for Q2 forward. On the U.S. front, I will remind you that we will see phased-in reduction on thermal coal volumes of approximately 40,000 carloads annually. This will have a limited revenue impact as it is short-haul, lower revenue per car traffic. It will impact revenue per car and coal, which should be up somewhere around 10%. Turning to sulphur and fertilizers on Slide 30. Revenues were up 58% on the quarter. And while volumes have recovered, they're still not at 2007 levels. International demand for potash was up versus easy compares. Rising commodity prices helped contribute to robust domestic movements, and we saw a strong fall application. As we look at 2011, the signs are there for solid demand. Grain prices are strong and fertilizer pricing has been rising. We expect that the more normal Q4 shipping levels will continue through 2011. In our merchandise portfolio, revenues were up 19%. Energy demand continues to be robust, supported by high places and opportunities on our network. Mines, metals and aggregates benefited from rising commodity prices, energy sector demand and easy compares. Automotive revenues were up 13%, as we saw production increases supported by a recovery in sales. In forest products, we saw a steady volume improvement, particularly in pulp. Pulp volume was aided by the reopening of a mill on our line in Q4. For 2011, energy-related demand will remain strong, as we develop opportunities in the Bakken, Marcellus and Oil Sands areas. As we move through the year, we will be lapping tougher compares, particularly in ethanol. In forest products and auto that are more directly linked to the North American consumer economy, there are some positive trends. Growth will be in line with underlying demand and is dependent on the sustainability of the economic recovery. Turning to intermodal, revenues were up 11%. A key growth driver was the strong recovery of imports, exports and revenue empties through the West Coast. You can see the revenue empties impact on our intermodal growth numbers with carloads up more than RTMs and revenue per unit. This growth was partially offset by some short-haul, Eastern and inter-West business where we chose to price up. We have seen encouraging signs in the last couple of quarters in retail sales and in employment numbers. These bode well for 2011. We should see continuing year-over-year improvement in intermodal volume. To summarize, Q4 saw solid year-over-year growth and capped off the year of 19% revenue growth. 2010 renewals came in, in the 3% to 4% range, as we had expected. Looking to 2011, we are optimistic that the economic recovery will sustain itself. You heard Ed talk to our capabilities, and through Q1, we will be working to recover from the recent weather and avalanche challenges through the Rockies. As we progress through the year, we lapped tougher compares, so the rate of growth will naturally slow. And in looking at RTMs versus carloads, they will track roughly in line with each other over the year. My team continues to target above-inflation price increases and is pursuing the growth opportunities we outlined to you at Investor Day. Now I'll turn it over to Fred to wrap up.