April 26, 2006

Norfolk Southern Reports Record Revenues; Net Income Increases 57 Percent

Financial Statements

• Income
First Quarter
Balance Sheets
Cash Flow
Notes
pdf PDF version of statements

For first-quarter 2006 vs. first-quarter 2005:

NORFOLK, VA – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today reported first-quarter net income of $305 million, or $0.72 per diluted share, an increase of 57 percent compared with $194 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2005.

“Continued strong demand for rail service allowed us to produce a substantial improvement over the prior year,” said Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern’s chief executive officer. “From our vantage point, demand for rail transportation remains healthy, and our first-quarter results reflect solid execution throughout the enterprise. I’m even more encouraged that we were able to achieve our lowest first-quarter operating ratio since the Conrail transaction and report continuing substantial volume growth in conjunction with our improved earnings.”

Railway operating revenues of $2.3 billion were the highest of any quarter in Norfolk Southern’s history and improved 17 percent compared with $1.96 billion in the first quarter of 2005.

General merchandise revenues were a record $1.28 billion, an increase of 18 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. The gains were due primarily to higher average revenues and a 3 percent increase in traffic volumes. Each of the major business groups reported revenue improvements. Agricultural product revenues increased by 38 percent, metals and construction by 25 percent, paper, clay and forest products by 14 percent, chemical products by 11 percent and automotive by 4 percent.

Coal revenues climbed $92 million, or 20 percent, to $559 million, compared with the same period last year, primarily a result of higher average revenues and a 4 percent increase in coal volumes.

Intermodal revenues set a first-quarter record, rising 14 percent to $466 million compared with the same period a year earlier. The improvement was driven by higher average revenues and an 8 percent increase in traffic volume, reflecting strength in the international and truckload sectors.

First-quarter railway operating expenses were $1.75 billion, up 12 percent over the same period in 2005. Higher compensation and benefits, a 54 percent increase in diesel fuel expense and costs of handling additional business volumes contributed to the increases during the quarter.

The first-quarter operating ratio of 76.1 percent was an improvement of 3.3 percentage points compared with 79.4 percent during first-quarter 2005.

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,200 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NS operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is North America’s largest rail carrier of automotive parts and finished vehicles.

# # #   

Norfolk Southern contacts:
(Media) Bob Fort, 757-629-2710 (rcfort@nscorp.com)
(Investors) Leanne Marilley, 757-629-2861(leanne.marilley@nscorp.com )


 

Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

($ millions except per share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,

 

2006

2005

 

 

 

 

 

Railway operating revenues:

 

 

 

 

   Coal

$

559 

$

467 

   General merchandise

 

1,278 

 

1,086 

   Intermodal

 

466 

 

408 

      Total railway operating revenues

 

2,303 

 

1,961 

 

 

 

 

 

Railway operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

   Compensation and benefits (note 1)

 

721 

 

604 

   Materials, services and rents

 

471 

 

436 

   Conrail rents and services

 

32 

 

35 

   Depreciation

 

183 

 

193 

   Diesel fuel

 

231 

 

150 

   Casualties and other claims (note 2)

 

53 

 

78 

   Other

 

61 

 

62 

      Total railway operating expenses

 

1,752 

 

1,558 

 

 

 

 

 

         Income from railway operations

 

551 

 

403 

 

 

 

 

 

Other income – net

 

35 

 

Interest expense on debt

 

120 

 

128 

 

 

 

 

 

         Income before income taxes

 

466 

 

277 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for income taxes:

 

 

 

 

   Current

 

162 

 

59 

   Deferred

 

(1)

 

24 

      Total income taxes

 

161 

 

83 

 

 

 

 

 

      Net income

$

305 

$

194 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

   Basic

$

0.74 

$

0.48 

   Diluted

$

0.72 

$

0.47 

 

 

 

 

 

Average shares outstanding (000's):

 

 

 

 

   Basic

 

412,444 

 

401,771 

   Diluted

 

421,773 

 

410,107 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

 


 

Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

($ millions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31,

Dec. 31,

 

2006

2005

Assets

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

   Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

$

1,542 

$

1,257 

   Accounts receivable – net (note 2)

 

985 

 

931 

   Materials and supplies

 

143 

 

132 

   Deferred income taxes

 

167 

 

167 

   Other current assets

 

107 

 

163 

      Total current assets

 

2,944 

 

2,650 

 

 

 

 

 

Investments

 

1,623 

 

1,590 

 

 

 

 

 

Properties less accumulated depreciation

 

20,756 

 

20,705 

 

 

 

 

 

Other assets (note 2)

 

918 

 

916 

      Total assets

$

26,241 

$

25,861 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and stockholders' equity

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

   Accounts payable (note 2)

$

1,036 

$

1,163 

   Income and other taxes

 

301 

 

231 

   Other current liabilities

 

276 

 

213 

   Current maturities of long-term debt

 

348 

 

314 

      Total current liabilities

 

1,961 

 

1,921 

 

 

 

 

 

 Long-term debt

 

6,550 

 

6,616 

 

 

 

 

 

 Other liabilities (note 2)

 

1,408 

 

1,415 

 

 

 

 

 

 Deferred income taxes

 

6,613 

 

6,620 

      Total liabilities

 

16,532 

 

16,572 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

 Common stock $1.00 per share par value

 

436 

 

431 

 Additional paid-in capital

 

1,220 

 

992 

 Unearned restricted stock

 

-- 

 

(17)

 Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(85)

 

(77)

 Retained income

 

8,158 

 

7,980 

 

 

9,729 

 

9,309 

 

 

 

 

 

Less treasury stock at cost, 20,833,125

 

(20)

 

(20)

      Total stockholders' equity

 

9,709 

 

9,289 

 

 

 

 

 

      Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

26,241 

$

25,861 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

 


 

Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow

(Unaudited)

($ millions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,

 

2006

2005

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

   Net income

$

305 

$

194 

   Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by

 

 

 

 

    operating activities:

 

 

 

 

      Depreciation

 

185 

 

197 

      Deferred income taxes

 

(1)

 

24 

      Equity in earnings of Conrail

 

(6)

 

(6)

      Gains on properties and investments

 

(19)

 

(7)

      Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations:

 

 

 

 

        Accounts receivable

 

(54)

 

(52)

        Materials and supplies

 

(11)

 

(10)

        Other current assets

 

28 

 

23 

        Current liabilities other than debt

 

53 

 

36 

        Other – net

 

30 

 

           Net cash provided by operating activities

 

510 

 

408 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

  Property additions

 

(256)

 

(144)

  Property sales and other transactions

 

52 

 

  Investments, including short-term

 

(354)

 

(303)

  Investment sales and other transactions

 

267 

 

216 

            Net cash used for investing activities

 

(291)

 

(227)

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

  Dividends

 

(66)

 

(44)

  Common stock issued – net

 

183 

 

66 

  Purchase and retirement of common stock (note 3)

 

(67)

 

-- 

  Proceeds from borrowings

 

-- 

 

332 

  Debt repayments

 

(32)

 

(138)

 

 

 

 

 

            Net cash provided by financing activities

 

18 

 

216 

 

 

 

 

 

            Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

 

237 

 

397 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents:

 

 

 

 

  At beginning of year

 

289 

 

467 

 

 

 

 

 

  At end of period

 

526 

 

864 

 

 

 

 

 

Short-term investments at end of period

 

1,016 

 

255 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at end of period

$

1,542 

$

1,119 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information

 

 

 

 

  Cash paid during the year for:

 

 

 

 

     Interest (net of amounts capitalized)

$

63 

$

70 

     Income taxes (net of refunds)

$

17 

$

-- 

 

 

 

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

 


 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:

1.         ADOPTION OF SFAS 123(R), “SHARE-BASED PAYMENT”
            Effective January 1, 2006, NS adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment,” [SFAS 123(R)].   This statement applies to awards granted, modified, repurchased or cancelled after the effective date as well as awards that are unvested at the effective date and includes, among other things, the requirement to expense the fair value of stock options.  As a result of the implementation of SFAS 123(R), compensation and benefits expense in the first quarter of 2006 included $27 million for the immediate expensing of awards granted to retirement eligible employees and $4 million for stock options granted to non-retirement eligible employees.

2.         GRANITEVILLE DERAILMENT –
In the first quarter of 2005, NS recorded a liability related to the Jan. 6, 2005, derailment in Graniteville, SC.  The liability, which includes a current and long-term portion, represents NS’ best estimate based on current facts and circumstances.  The estimate includes amounts related to business property damage and other economic losses, personal injury and individual property damage claims as well as third-party response costs.  NS’ commercial insurance policies are expected to cover expenses related to this derailment above NS’ self-insured retention, including its own response costs and legal fees.  Accordingly, the Consolidated Balance Sheet reflects a current and long-term receivable for estimated recoveries from its insurance carriers.

Results for the first quarter of 2005 include approximately $35 million of expenses related to this incident, which represents NS’ retention under its insurance policies and other uninsured costs, and which reduced net income by approximately $21 million, or 5 cents per diluted share.

While it is reasonable to expect that the liability for covered losses could differ from the amount recorded, such a change would be offset by a corresponding change in the insurance receivable.  As a result, NS does not believe that it is reasonably likely that its net loss (the difference between the liability and future recoveries) will be materially different than the loss recorded in 2005.  NS expects at this time that insurance coverage is adequate to cover potential claims and settlements above its self-insurance retention.

3.         STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM -
In November 2005, NS’ Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to 50 million shares of NS common stock through the end of 2015.  During the first quarter of 2006, cash flows from financing activities included $67 million for the purchase and retirement of 1,310,000 shares of common stock under this program.