CSX(US:CSX)2025-04-16 20:01Financial Performance - CSX Corp. reported first quarter 2025 operating income of $1.04 billion, a decrease of 22% from $1.34 billion in the prior year period[2]. - Net income for the quarter was $646 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, down 27% from $880 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, in the same period last year[2][14]. - Total revenue for the quarter was $3.42 billion, representing a 7% decline year-over-year from $3.68 billion[2][14]. - Total revenue decreased by 7% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024, primarily due to declines in coal revenue and merchandise volume[28]. - Operating income for Q1 2025 was $1,041 million, down 22.1% from $1,337 million in Q1 2024[63]. - Gross cash earnings decreased to $1,269 million in Q1 2025 from $1,509 million in Q1 2024, reflecting a decline of 17.9%[63]. - Economic profit (non-GAAP) fell to $320 million in Q1 2025, a decrease of 46% compared to $594 million in Q1 2024[63]. - Free cash flow before dividends remained stable at $559 million in Q1 2025, slightly down from $560 million in Q1 2024[68]. - Net cash provided by operating activities increased to $1,255 million in Q1 2025, up 17.7% from $1,066 million in Q1 2024[68]. Volume and Revenue Declines - Total volume decreased by 1% year-over-year to 1.52 million units in the first quarter of 2025[2]. - Coal volume decreased by 8%, with domestic coal tonnage down 4% and export coal tonnage down 12%[35]. - Merchandise volume decreased by 2%, with notable declines in automotive (down 7%) and forest products (down 4%) segments[31]. - Fuel surcharge revenue decreased to $217 million from $277 million, reflecting a 22% decrease[30]. - The company reported a decrease in other revenue by $28 million, primarily due to prior year payments from customers not meeting volume commitments[37]. Operational Challenges - CSX is addressing operational challenges and network constraints due to ongoing infrastructure projects to improve performance[3]. - Train velocity decreased by 3% and dwell time increased by 19% compared to the prior year, indicating operational challenges[45]. Safety Improvements - The personal injury frequency index improved by 22% to 0.95, and the FRA train accident rate improved by 16% to 3.43, highlighting safety improvements[46]. Capital Expenditures and Investments - CSX's capital expenditures for property additions in the first quarter of 2025 included $133 million related to rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Helene[24]. - Property additions rose to $719 million in Q1 2025, compared to $517 million in Q1 2024, indicating a 38.9% increase[68]. Cash and Liquidity - Cash and cash equivalents increased to $1.14 billion as of March 31, 2025, up from $933 million at the end of 2024[16]. - Total expenses increased by $38 million, or 2%, to $2.4 billion in Q1 2025, driven by inflation and higher union employee benefits[39]. - Estimated locomotive fuel expense decreased to $225 million from $276 million, a reduction of $51 million due to a 15% decrease in fuel prices[42]. Share Repurchase - The company repurchased 24 million shares at a cost of $751 million during the first quarter of 2025, compared to 7 million shares for $247 million in the same period last year[22].