JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CSX (Nasdaq:CSX) President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison today said, “CSX has made very good progress in the last 60 days in transitioning its operating model to Precision Scheduled Railroading, and I’m confident that many of the challenges we and our customers have recently faced are behind us. The CSX team of dedicated railroaders has worked tirelessly over the last few months to implement our new operating model and moved as quickly as possible to address customer issues when they arose.”
“The railroad is now returning to a normal operating rhythm, and our performance metrics are improving,” Harrison added. “Fluidity in our terminals largely has been restored and we are appropriately resourced to continue making progress. Car dwell has improved from week to week for the last five weeks, and system-wide velocity is increasing. I am confident that as CSX continues to implement the Precision Scheduled Railroading model, it will provide profound and lasting benefits to customers, employees and shareholders.”
This improvement and the company’s views will be described in greater detail by Frank Lonegro, CSX’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, at the Cowen and Company’s 10th Annual Global Transportation conference in Boston, Mass. As previously announced, Lonegro’s presentation, which will be webcast, is scheduled for today, Wednesday, September 6, at 8:35 a.m.
Lonegro will outline certain operating and financial information, including (i) that the Company continues to expect free cash flow before dividends (excluding restructuring charges) of around $1.5 billion and record efficiency gains for 2017; (ii) that in light of various operating challenges in July and August 2017, the Company is refining its 2017 full-year guidance from an operating ratio in the mid-60s to an operating ratio around the high end of the mid-60s and earnings per share growth from around 25 percent to a range of 20-25 percent, in each case after excluding restructuring charges and (iii) that the Company has completed approximately $1.3 billion of its $1.5 billion authorized share repurchase program.
The webcast and presentation will be accessible through http://investors.csx.com. A replay and accompanying audio will be available following the conclusion of this event.
About CSX and its Disclosures
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For over 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike.
This announcement, as well as additional financial information, is available on the company's website at http://investors.csx.com. CSX also uses social media channels to communicate information about the company. Although social media channels are not intended to be the primary method of disclosure for material information, it is possible that certain information CSX posts on social media could be deemed to be material. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in the company to review the information we post on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX) and on Slideshare (http://www.slideshare.net/HowTomorrowMoves). The social media channels used by CSX may be updated from time to time.
More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX).
Non-GAAP Disclosure
CSX reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). CSX uses certain non-GAAP measures that fall within the meaning of Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation G and Regulation S-K Item 10(e), which may provide users of the financial information with additional meaningful comparison to prior reported results. Non-GAAP measures do not have standardized definitions and are not defined by U.S. GAAP. Therefore, CSX’s non-GAAP measures are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The presentation of these non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for, or as superior to the financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to corresponding GAAP measures are above.
Forward Looking Non-GAAP Measures
CSX presents non-GAAP or adjusted operating ratio and adjusted net earnings per share, assuming dilution on a forward-looking basis. The most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP measure is operating ratio and net earnings per share, assuming dilution. CSX is unable to provide a quantitative reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP measure, because CSX cannot reliably forecast the timing and amount of future restructuring charges and other charges related to the change of leadership and strategy which are difficult to predict and estimate. Please note that the unavailable reconciling items could significantly impact CSX’s future financial GAAP results.
Forward-looking Statements
This information and other statements by the company may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act with respect to, among other items: projections and estimates of earnings, revenues, margins, volumes, rates, cost-savings, expenses, taxes, liquidity, capital expenditures, dividends, share repurchases or other financial items, statements of management's plans, strategies and objectives for future operations, and management's expectations as to future performance and operations and the time by which objectives will be achieved, statements concerning proposed new services, and statements regarding future economic, industry or market conditions or performance. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “preliminary” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. If the company updates any forward-looking statement, no inference should be drawn that the company will make additional updates with respect to that statement or any other forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual performance or results could differ materially from that anticipated by any forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by any forward- looking statements include, among others; (i) the company's success in implementing its financial and operational initiatives; (ii) changes in domestic or international economic, political or business conditions, including those affecting the transportation industry (such as the impact of industry competition, conditions, performance and consolidation); (iii) legislative or regulatory changes; (iv) the inherent business risks associated with safety and security; (v) the outcome of claims and litigation involving or affecting the company; (vi) natural events such as severe weather conditions or pandemic health crises; and (vii) the inherent uncertainty associated with projecting economic and business conditions.
Other important assumptions and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are specified in the company's SEC reports, accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the company's website at www.csx.com.