TOP CONTRIBUTORS

Francis D'Hondt

Ann H. Heffron

www.zacks.com

GMT AT A GLANCE

P/E ► 14.5 AVG EV/EBITDA ► 2.97 AVG ROA ► 4.9% AVG ROE ► 7.4% AVG Debt to Equity ► 3.73 AVG Current Ratio ► 0.156 VERY LOW Interest Coverage Ratio ► 1.76 AVG

 

 

 

 

 

 

GATX Corporation (NYSE: GMT) leases railcars to companies in the railroad industry and owns and operates a fleet of self-loading cargo ships. GATX's Rail segment (70% of 2008 revenue) purchases railcars from manufacturers like Trinity Industries, Union Tank Car Company, and Freight Car America and leases the railcars in both North America and Europe.^[1]

GATX's revenue grew by 7.2% in 2008, compared to a 9.5% growth in 2007. This decline in growth can be attributed to factors such as high oil prices and a struggling overall economy in 2008.^[2] However, conditions became more stable in 2009, thanks to factors such as decreasing oil prices (which lowers the costs of transportation for companies in the railroad and shipping industries), although the struggling overall economy counteracts these somewhat.^[3] From Q1 to Q2 2009, GATX experienced a 9% increase in revenue, thanks primarily to the inclusion of the ASC segment (it does not operate in Q1). Q2 2009 revenue of $288.1 million, a 23.1% decrease from its Q2 2008 revenue.^[4]

In summer of 2009, the House of Representatives passed a bill putting President Obama's new bill to increase railway infrastructure funding, setting into motion a plan that makes the long-term prospects of the railway industry (and GATX Rail along with it) look stronger, which is important to GATX because of the 23.1% decrease it suffered in Q2 revenue from 2008 to 2009.^[5]

Business Overview

GATX operates in the rail, marine and industrial equipment markets, performing tasks such as leasing railcars and operating shipping vessels. The company also invests in several joint ventures, such as GATX's 50% investment in Southern Capital Corporation.^[6] GATX operates in three primary segments: Rail, ASC (American Steamship Company), and Specialty. Its Rail segment is the primary means by which it obtains its revenue, accounting for 70% of its 2008 revenue.^[7]

Business and Financial Metrics

GATX's net revenue increased by 7.2% in 2008, up to $1.44 billion. It's operating income increased by 4.3% and net income decreased by 3.8% in 2008, to $269.6 million and $196.0 million, respectively. GATX is split up into three segments that make up its entire revenue: Rail, ASC, and Specialty.^[2] Before fiscal 2007, GATX had an Air segment as well, but it sold all of its aircraft during 2006, the majority of which went to Macquarie Aircraft Leasing Limited.^[10] GATX's Q1 2009 Revenue was $264.4 million, which increased by 9% to $288.1 million in Q2 2009, an increase that can primarily be attributed to the addition of the ASC segment (it does not earn revenues in Q1 of any fiscal year).^[4]

Business Segments

Rail (70% of 2008 Revenue)

Through the Rail segment, GATX leases railcars directly from manufacturers in North America and Europe to the chemical, agricultural and food processing, and railroad industries. In 2008, 26.9% of GATX's 165,836 railcars were located in Europe (in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland), while the remaining 73.1% was located in North America.^[7] In fiscal 2008, Rail revenues were $1,015.2 million, a 6.8% increase from the $950.2 million in revenue GATX obtained from this segment in 2007.^[2] This increase can be attributed to robust investment activity and rising lease rates that created all-around strong market conditions in 2008.^[11] However, the onset of the economic recession began to affect GMT in the tail-end of fiscal 2008 and the first 2 quarters of fiscal 2009 as evidenced by the 13.5% drop in total revenue from Q4 2008 to Q2 2009.^[4] However, the rail market began to strengthen in Q2 2009 from factors such as decreasing oil prices, which benefit revenue for companies that lease railcars from GATX.^[3]

American Steamship Company: ASC (19% of 2008 Revenue)

Through its wholly-owned subsidiary ASC, GATX owns and operates 18 shipping vessels meant to provide waterborne transportation of dry bulk commodities such as iron ore, coal, and limestone for a host of industrial customers. The ASC segment typically operates only from April through the end of the calendar year (as January-March tends to have unfavorable shipping conditions), providing GATX with a revenue boost starting from Q2 of any fiscal year.^[12] In fiscal 2008, ASC revenues totaled $271.5 million, a 16.5% increase from the $233 million this segment earned in 2007.^[2] GATX's 10-K attributed this increase to factors such as higher base freight rates and higher fuel surcharges and more favorable water and weather conditions from the year before, which created more revenue per ship and for the possibility for more shipments.^[13]

Specialty (11% of 2008 Revenue)

With the Specialty segment, GATX provides leasing and other financial services (such as direct finance leases and loans) to markets such as Industrial Facilities, Oil and Gas Equipment, Construction and Mining Equipment, Power Generation Equipment, and Marine Equipment.^[14] In fiscal 2008, Specialty segments totaled $159.4 million, a 1.7% decrease from the $162.1 million in revenue in fiscal 2007.^[2] As with the ASC segment, Specialty benefitted from favorable market conditions from 2006-2008, although the high oil prices of 2008 helped factor into the 1.7% revenue decrease.^[15]

Key Trends and Forces

Obama's plan to strengthen infrastructure through added funding provides long-term benefits to GATX's Rail segment

In 2009, U.S. President Obama announced a plan to boost the economy through additional funding for high-speed railway networks in the United States.^[5] In June of the same year, the House passed a bill by a vote of 256-168 that provided an extra $2 billion for high-speed rail projects, setting the plan into motion.^[16] First of all, this helps GATX in the long-term because it provides a boost to the overall domestic economy. Secondly, and more importantly, this greatly strengthens the U.S. railway industry. And because GATX obtained 70% of its overall 2008 revenue from the leasing of various railcars, Obama's plan will also have a positive impact on GATX's Rail segment.^[2]

Domestic Crude Oil Prices per Barrel: Inflation adjusted for 2008 prices^[3]

GATX depends heavily on the overall strength of the unpredictable shipping market and oil prices

With 30% of its combined 2008 revenue coming from the ASC and Specialty segments, GATX's success depends heavily on the overall strength of the shipping industry.^[2] From 2006-2008, the shipping industry benefitted from favorable conditions, and GATX was thus likewise successful. In 2009, however, the shipping industry was volatile, experiencing unsustainably low demand in some locations,^[17] and record increases in others.^[18] For example, GATX competitor J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) suffered from the up-and-down nature of the shipping industry, recording consecutive quarterly revenues of $879.79, $722.84, and $769.78 million, from Q4 2008 to Q2 2009.^[19] One key factor in the unpredictability of the market is the price of oil, which, in 2008, reached record highs in the summer before settling down to $91.35/barrel by year's end (price adjusted for inflation).^[3] This figure still marked a 27% increase in price per barrel from the previous year, and, consequently, many businesses that depend on fuel costs suffered in 2008, including key competitor Kansas City Southern (KSU), who saw fuel costs increase by 24.6% from Q1 2007 to Q1 2008.^[20] Fortunately, GATX was able to avoid most of the negative effects of increasing fuel costs in fiscal 2008 because higher base freight rates and improving water and weather conditions from the previous year helped its business.^[13] The lower oil prices in 2009 only help GATX's revenue, which is especially important in such a turbulent industry.^[18]

Germany is targeting the US railway market, which benefits GATX's business

In August of 2009, Germany announced that Deutsche Bank (DB) and Siemens planned to enter the US railway market in a joint venture. This decision is a direct result of Obama's rail infrastructure development plan, which will provide a boost to the domestic railroad industry.^[21] With Germany entering the US railway market, GATX will benefit from the added boost to the railway industry from such an international power, especially one from a market in which in operates (Germany). The addition of Deutsche Bank and Siemens to the railway industry provides GATX with more valuable opportunities to lease railcars to internationally renowned companies.^[22]

Competition

GATX primarily competes with companies from two different industries: the railroad industry and the shipping industry. GATX's rail segment competes with companies that lease railcars, while the ASC and Specialty segments compete with other freight shippers. These companies include:

• General Electric Company (GE) is a multinational conglomerate that manufactures large-scale industrial products and consumer appliances, in addition to providing financial services. As such, GE competes with the Rail (through its production of products for the railway industry) and Specialty segments. GE's 2008 revenue was $183 billion, a 5.8% increase from the year before.^[23] GE's Q2 2009 revenue was $39.08 billion, down 16.6% from Q2 2008.^[24]
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) is one of the top 10 freight shippers in North America, making approximately $3.7 billion in revenue in 2008, good enough for a 1.3% share of the trucking industry. J.B. Hunt competes directly with GATX's ASC and Specialty segments.^[25] J.B. Hunt's Q2 2009 revenue was $769.7 million, a 21.2% decrease from Q2 2008.^[19]
• Kansas City Southern (KSU) is a railroad shipping company that operates in the U.S. and Mexico, and thus primarily competes with the North America segment of GATX Rail. KSU's $1.85 billion in 2008 revenue was a 6.3% increase from the year before.^[26] In Q2 2009, KSU made $341.3 million, a 29.8% decrease from Q2 the year before.^[27]
• FreightCar America (RAIL) manufactures aluminum-bodied railcars in North America, especially for the transportation of coal. FreightCar America's 2008 revenue was $746.4 million, a decrease of 8.64% from the year before. Its Q2 2009, RAIL made $39.6 million in revenue, a 58.4% decrease from Q2 2008.^[28]

References

1. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 2
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} GMT 2008 10-K, Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, page 20
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Historical Crude Oil Prices Table
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Google Finance: GMT
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} NBTA Praises President Obama for Plan to Strengthen U.S. Rail Infrastructure
6. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 4
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} GMT 2008 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 3
8. ↑ GMT 2007 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 3
9. ↑ GMT 2006 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 3
10. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, page 30
11. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, page 23
12. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 7
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} GMT 2008 10-K, Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, page 30
14. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 5-6
15. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, page 28
16. ↑ House OKs money for rail, infrastructure bank
17. ↑ Ocean freight market heads into choppy waters
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Ocean shipping/global logistics: Drewry report cites record increases in spot market
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2} Google Finance: JBHT
20. ↑ Wikinvest: KSU
21. ↑ Germany: DB and Siemens target US rail market
22. ↑ GMT 2008 10-K, Item 1: Business, page 5
23. ↑ Wikinvest: GE
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} Google Finance: GE
25. ↑ Wikinvest: JBHT
26. ↑ Wikinvest: KSU
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1} Google Finance: KSU
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1} Google Finance: RAIL