80-plus more Stakeholders Urge STB to Reject CN's Use of a Voting Trust, Bringing Total Opposed to over 330

Rhea-AI Summary

Canadian Pacific Railway (TSX: CP; NYSE: CP) reported that over 1,050 letters have been filed with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) regarding its proposed combination with Kansas City Southern (KCS) and concerns over Canadian National's (CN) voting trust. More than 330 stakeholders oppose CN's plan, citing risks to competition and service quality. CP plans to submit comments to the STB by June 28, arguing that CN's voting trust poses public interest costs without benefits. CP's application for KCS acquisition is ongoing, emphasizing pro-competitive advantages.

Positive

• Over 1,050 letters filed supporting CP's combination with KCS.
• CP's use of a voting trust approved by STB.
• CP's ongoing acquisition process for KCS, ensuring pro-competitive advantages.

Negative

• Concerns over reduced competition and service quality due to CN's proposed voting trust.
• Stakeholder opposition indicates potential challenges to CP-KCS combination.

More than 1,050 Letters Filed Supporting CP-KCS Combination or in Opposition to the CN Proposal 

Customers Losing Service Options Voice Concerns

 

CALGARY, AB, June 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) ("CP") today announced that more than 80 additional stakeholders have filed statements with the Surface Transportation Board ("STB") expressing concerns about Canadian National ("CN") and Kansas City Southern's ("KCS") combination, its use of a voting trust, or both. This brings the total opposed to over 330. Together, more than 1,050 letters have been filed in support of CP's proposed combination with KCS or in opposition to the CN proposal.

Shippers that could lose shipping options in the New Orleans to Baton Rouge corridor have also submitted letters in opposition to CN's voting trust, including Pinnacle Polymers, which notes: "…we are closely monitoring this issue and ardently believe that the use of a trust for any merger under the 2001 Major Merger Rules would not be in our interest, much less the public interest."

Last week, SMART-Transportation Division, North America's largest railroad operating union, submitted a letter urging the STB to reject CN's proposed use of a voting trust.

The letters highlight the extensive risks the proposed CN-KCS voting trust poses to competition by reducing shipper options. Stakeholders also expressed strong concerns over the likelihood of reduced service quality and infrastructure investments as a result of the proposed CN transaction.

Public Comment Period for CN Voting Trust

In line with the public comment period, CP plans to file comments no later than June 28, explaining why the public interest costs of CN's proposed voting trust outweigh the non-existent benefits. This public comment period, and the STB's subsequent deliberations, will determine the course of competition for U.S. railroading and North American commerce for the next 150 years.

Now is the time for stakeholders to voice their concerns about whether CN should be able to lock in its anti-competitive plan to buy KCS via a voting trust. Stakeholders can express their concerns directly to the STB. 

Importantly, the STB has already approved CP's use of a voting trust and affirmed KCS' waiver from the new rail merger rules it adopted in 2001 because a CP-KCS combination is truly end-to-end, pro-competitive, and the only viable Class 1 combination.

As previously announced, CP is continuing to pursue its application process to acquire KCS so that the pro-competitive CP-KCS combination can be reviewed by the STB and implemented without undue delay, in the event KCS' agreement with CN is terminated or CN is otherwise unable to acquire control of KCS.

For more information on the benefits of a CP-KCS combination and the risks that a CN-KCS transaction would pose to the railway industry and North America, visit FutureForFreight.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION  

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward looking information (collectively, FLI). FLI is typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "intend", "target", "believe", "likely" and similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be FLI.  

Although we believe that the FLI is reasonable based on the information available today and processes used to prepare it, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and you are cautioned against placing undue reliance on FLI. By its nature, FLI involves a variety of assumptions, which are based upon factors that may be difficult to predict and that may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these FLI, including, but not limited to, the following: changes in business strategies and strategic opportunities; estimated future dividends; financial strength and flexibility; debt and equity market conditions, including the ability to access capital markets on favourable terms or at all; cost of debt and equity capital; potential changes in the CP share price; the ability of management of CP, its subsidiaries and affiliates to execute key priorities; general North American and global social, economic, political, credit and business conditions; risks associated with agricultural production such as weather conditions and insect populations; the availability and price of energy commodities; the effects of competition and pricing pressures, including competition from other rail carriers, trucking companies and maritime shippers in Canada and the U.S.; North American and global economic growth; industry capacity; shifts in market demand; changes in commodity prices and commodity demand; uncertainty surrounding timing and volumes of commodities being shipped via CP; inflation; geopolitical instability; changes in laws, regulations and government policies, including regulation of rates; changes in taxes and tax rates; potential increases in maintenance and operating costs; changes in fuel prices; disruption in fuel supplies; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; compliance with environmental regulations; labour disputes; changes in labour costs and labour difficulties; risks and liabilities arising from derailments; transportation of dangerous goods; timing of completion of capital and maintenance projects; sufficiency of CP's budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out CP's business plan; services and infrastructure; the satisfaction by third parties of their obligations to CP; currency and interest rate fluctuations; exchange rates; effects of changes in market conditions and discount rates on the financial position of pension plans and investments; trade restrictions or other changes to international trade arrangements; the effects of current and future multinational trade agreements on the level of trade among Canada and the U.S.; climate change and the market and regulatory responses to climate change; anticipated in-service dates; success of hedging activities; operational performance and reliability; regulatory and legislative decisions and actions; public opinion; various events that could disrupt operations, including severe weather, such as droughts, floods, avalanches and earthquakes, and cybersecurity attacks, as well as security threats and governmental response to them, and technological changes; acts of terrorism, war or other acts of violence or crime or risk of such activities; insurance coverage limitations; and the pandemic created by the outbreak of COVID-19 and resulting effects on CP's business, operating results, cash flows and/or financial condition, as well as resulting effects on economic conditions, the demand environment for logistics requirements and energy prices, restrictions imposed by public health authorities or governments, fiscal and monetary policy responses by governments and financial institutions, and disruptions to global supply chains.   

We caution that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive and is made as of the date hereof. Additional information about these and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties can be found in reports and filings by CP with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators. Reference should be made to "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Forward-Looking Statements" in CP's annual and interim reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q. Due to the interdependencies and correlation of these factors, as well as other factors, the impact of any one assumption, risk or uncertainty on FLI cannot be determined with certainty. 

Except to the extent required by law, we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any FLI, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All FLI in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by these cautionary statements. 

ABOUT CANADIAN PACIFIC 

Canadian Pacific (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to major ports on the west and east coasts. CP provides North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit www.cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP. CP-IR 

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SOURCE Canadian Pacific

FAQ

What is the status of the CP-KCS combination?

CP has received over 1,050 letters of support and is actively pursuing the acquisition process.

What concerns are stakeholders voicing regarding CN's voting trust?

Stakeholders fear reduced competition and service quality if CN's voting trust is approved.

When will CP submit comments to the STB regarding CN's proposal?

CP plans to submit comments by June 28.

How many stakeholders oppose CN's combination with KCS?

Over 330 stakeholders have filed opposition letters.