In more recent years, however, Buffett’s experienced a change of heart, and it’s not due to nostalgia for the bygone era of railroads. He sees a dynamic and profitable future for all of the major players, which could result in market-beating performance across the industry. This trend has already taken root and looks poised to continue due to steady long-term U.S. economic growth, a need for low-cost long-haul transportation of goods, and a rail infrastructure that remains the envy of the rest of the world.
For investors, the door remains wide open for investment in rail, and CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX), the largest East Coast operator, presents an attractive opportunity. To provide investors with further insight into CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX), we recently published an in-depth premium report that evaluates every aspect of the company from strategy to leadership to valuation. Today, you can get a sneak peak into this report and see just how CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX) can use its valuable assets to deliver strong returns for shareholders in the years to come:
In May 2012, the International Energy Agency, a leading global alliance and research body, proclaimed the next few decades “the golden age of natural gas.” The IEA predicted this clean-burning commodity will replace coal as the second-largest energy source in the world. As this shift rapidly takes shape in the U.S., especially among utility companies, financial pundits have proclaimed the end of the coal era as a major roadblock for certain railroad companies. What the pundits are missing, however, are a few noteworthy trends.
Coal’s recent unpopularity in the U.S. might be temporary as natural gas prices rebound from their current rock-bottom levels. At the same time, coal is still a highly valued resource around the world, particularly in developing countries in Europe and Asia. These areas of the world have less immediately available natural gas resources, and thus any transition away from coal would take decades, not years, to play out. Let’s compare the two trends taking shape currently in the most important coal markets.
For CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX), America’s utility coal demand has steadily declined from its peak of 162 tons in 2006. During this time, many older, less efficient coal plants have been idled, and even the well-run plants have been forced to stockpile coal due to plunging natural gas prices.
In the meantime, the U.S. is emerging as a prime supplier of coal globally. As developed countries transition to cleaner fuels, the rapidly rising non-OECD countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa will drive the majority of growth in demand for coal.
