Study Group: Rail Car Leasing Experts(?)

The current renaissance for the railroad industry began in 2004 when railroad traffic exploded (double digit gains in some key traffic segments) and freight rates were unlocked and allowed to seek a market level. For the railroad companies, the exceptional profit gains since 2005 have been almost exclusively...

The Class I railroads have boosted their earnings and share prices in recent years by increasing their freight rates much faster than their costs have risen, both fuel and labor. The high price/earnings multiples of their common shares (ranging between 17 and 21) attest to many investors’ belief that...

Write downs are not actual losses and a mark-to-market loss is not a cash loss. Widening spreads in the credit default market, although real, must be recognized for what they are; namely, market monetization of perceived risks compared to recent backwards looking asset and cash flow valuations. Recovery...

There is much hope that orders for new coal cars will increase in the near future, lifting production rates at Freightcar America (RAIL). Coal exports are up almost 80% from a few years ago and domestic demand should increase significantly when the 52 new coal-fired generating plants which are currently...

Railcar builder Freightcar America reported a quarterly loss of $0.08/share due to high material costs impacting fixed price contracts and the need to restrain prices in a very slow market for coal cars. Management expressed confidence that demand for coal cars will remain strong in the future, especially...