SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
________________________________
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR
15(D)
OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
October 26, 2005 (October 26, 2005)
NORFOLK SOUTHERN
CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Virginia |
1-8339 |
52-1188014 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
(Commission |
(IRS Employer |
Of incorporation) |
File Number) |
Identification No.) |
Three Commercial
Place
Norfolk, Virginia 23510-9241
(Address of principal
executive offices)
(757)
629-2680
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
No Change
(Former name
or former address, if changed since last report)
Item 2.02 Regulation FD Disclosure and
Item 7.01 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
On October 26, 2005, the Registrant issued a Press Release, attached hereto as an Exhibit 99. The press release, which reports third quarter results, includes non-GAAP financial measures, as defined by SEC Regulation G, which are reconciled within the release. Specifically, the release excludes the effects of the Conrail corporate reorganization, which occurred in the third quarter of 2004, from net income and diluted earnings per share for the third quarter and first nine months of 2004 for the purpose of comparing them to results in the third quarter and first nine months of 2005, respectively. The release also excludes the effects of Ohio tax legislation, which was enacted during the second quarter of 2005, from net income and diluted earnings per share for the first nine months of 2005 for the purposes of comparing them to results in the first nine months of 2004.
These measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, net income and diluted earnings per share reported in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Management believes that net income and diluted earnings per share excluding these items may be more indicative of operating results for comparison to prior periods and to other companies, and it intends to use these non-GAAP financial measures for comparison purposes at its analysts' meeting scheduled today and in future comparisons to periods which involve the third quarter of 2004 and the second quarter of 2005
SIGNATURES |
NORFOLK SOUTHERN
CORPORATION |
/s/ Dezora M. Martin |
|
Date: October 26, 2005
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
Description
99 Press Release dated October 26, 2005.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2005 NORFOLK SOUTHERN SETS THIRD QUARTER REVENUE RECORDS For third quarter 2005: * Railway operating revenues increased 16 percent to a record $2.16 billion. * Income from railway operations improved 13 percent to $528 million. * Net income was $301 million, $0.73 per diluted share. * Intermodal revenue climbed 17 percent to an all-time high. Coal revenue was up 22 percent on record volumes. Merchandise revenue increased 13 percent. * The railroad operating ratio was 75.5 percent. NORFOLK, VA. - For the third quarter of 2005, Norfolk Southern Corporation(NYSE: NSC) reported net income of $301 million, or $0.73 per diluted share, compared with $288 million, or $0.72 per diluted share, for the same period of 2004. Third-quarter 2004 results included a gain from the Conrail corporate reorganization that increased reported results by $53 million, or $0.13 per diluted share. Third-quarter 2005 net income was 28 percent higher than the $235 million, or $0.59 per diluted share, earned in the same period of 2004 excluding the gain. "These good results came from the effective response of our people to the challenges of the quarter and our ability to maintain service for our customers, while moving a record-setting two million carloads of traffic," said NS Chairman and CEO David R. Goode. "While we had some unplanned costs from hurricanes and casualty claims, the quarter was very successful and continued our strong momentum." For the first nine months, net income was a record $919 million, or $2.24 per diluted share, an increase of 39 percent compared with $659 million, or $1.66 per diluted share, for the same period of 2004. Nine-month results for 2005 included a benefit of $96 million, or 0.23 per diluted share, from the effects of Ohio tax legislation. Net income for the first nine months of 2004 included the $53 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, gain on the Conrail reorganization. Excluding both items, net income for the first nine months would have been $823 million, or $2.01 per diluted share, in 2005, 36 percent higher than 2004 net income for the first nine months of $606 million, or $1.53 per diluted share. Railway operating revenues for the third quarter increased 16 percent to a record $2.16 billion compared with $1.86 billion for the same period a year earlier. For the first nine months, railway operating revenues set a record, rising 17 percent to $6.27 billion compared with $5.36 billion during the first nine months of 2004. General merchandise revenues reached $1.14 billion, an increase of 13 percent over $1.0 billion for the third quarter last year. For the first nine months, general merchandise revenues improved 12 percent to a record $3.37 billion compared with $3.0 billion in the year-earlier period. All merchandise markets reported revenue gains compared with the same periods a year earlier primarily due to higher average revenues, including fuel surcharges. During the third quarter, NS set a record by moving more than 451,000 carloads of coal. Coal revenues increased 22 percent to $546 million in the quarter and improved by 25 percent to a record $1.6 billion during the first nine months compared with the same periods last year. The revenue gains during both periods were driven by higher average revenues, robust demand for utility coal and fuel surcharges. For the third quarter, intermodal revenues climbed 17 percent to $471 million, the highest of any quarter in Norfolk Southern's history. For the first nine months, intermodal revenues reached a record-setting $1.31 billion, a 19 percent increase compared to the same period a year earlier. A nine percent increase in traffic volume during both periods, higher average revenues and fuel surcharges helped drive the growth. Railway operating expenses were $1.63 billion for the quarter, up 17 percent compared with third-quarter 2004, and $4.75 billion for the first nine months, an increase of 15 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. Higher diesel fuel prices, costs associated with additional business volume (including expenses related to hiring additional employees), maintenance activities, and adverse casualty claims costs contributed to the increases during both periods. For the quarter, the railway operating ratio was 75.5 percent compared with 74.7 percent during third quarter 2004. For the first nine months, the railway operating ratio improved to 75.7 percent compared with 76.9 percent during the same period last year. Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates 21,300 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NS operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is North America's largest rail carrier of automotive parts and finished vehicles. # # # For further information contact: (Media) Bob Fort, 757-629-2710 (rcfort@nscorp.com) (Investors) Leanne Marilley, 757-629-2861 (leanne.marilley@nscorp.com) ____________________________________________________________________ Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) ($ millions except per share) Three Months Ended Sept. 30, ------------------ 2005 2004 ---- ---- Railway operating revenues: Coal $ 546 $ 447 General merchandise 1,138 1,006 Intermodal 471 404 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING REVENUES 2,155 1,857 ------- ------- Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits 629 570 Materials, services and rents 462 411 Conrail rents and services (note 1) 31 79 Depreciation (note 1) 195 150 Diesel fuel 189 98 Casualties and other claims 59 31 Other 62 49 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING EXPENSES 1,627 1,388 ------- ------- Income from railway operations 528 469 Other income - net (note 1) 32 40 Interest expense on debt (119) (121) ------- ------- Income before income taxes 441 388 Provision for income taxes: Current 86 76 Deferred 54 24 ------- ------- Total income taxes 140 100 ------- ------- NET INCOME $ 301 $ 288 ======= ======= Earnings per share: Basic $ 0.74 $ 0.73 Diluted $ 0.73 $ 0.72 Average shares outstanding (000's): Basic 404,261 394,449 Diluted 412,335 400,109 See notes to consolidated financial statements. - --------------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) ($ millions except per share) Nine Months Ended Sept. 30, ---------------- 2005 2004 ---- ---- Railway operating revenues: Coal $ 1,591 $ 1,269 General merchandise 3,372 2,998 Intermodal 1,307 1,096 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING REVENUES 6,270 5,363 ------- ------- Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits 1,857 1,680 Materials, services and rents 1,344 1,165 Conrail rents and services (note 1) 97 282 Depreciation (note 1) 582 409 Diesel fuel 501 311 Casualties and other claims (note 4) 177 109 Other 189 167 ------- ------- TOTAL RAILWAY OPERATING EXPENSES 4,747 4,123 ------- ------- Income from railway operations 1,523 1,240 Other income - net (note 1) 43 50 Interest expense on debt (373) (363) ------- ------- Income before income taxes 1,193 927 Provision for income taxes: Current 267 156 Deferred (note 3) 7 112 ------- ------- Total income taxes 274 268 ------- ------- NET INCOME (note 2) $ 919 $ 659 ======= ======= Earnings per share: Basic $ 2.28 $ 1.68 Diluted $ 2.24 $ 1.66 Average shares outstanding (000's): Basic 403,066 392,693 Diluted 410,737 396,832 See notes to consolidated financial statements. - --------------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) ($ millions) Sept. 30, December 31, 2005 2004 ---- ---- ASSETS Current assets: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments $ 1,050 $ 669 Accounts receivable - net (note 4) 950 767 Materials and supplies 137 104 Deferred income taxes 175 187 Other current assets 124 240 ------- ------- Total current assets 2,436 1,967 Investments 1,608 1,499 Properties less accumulated depreciation 20,481 20,526 Other assets (note 4) 908 758 ------- ------- TOTAL ASSETS $ 25,433 $ 24,750 ======= ======= LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable (note 4) $ 1,132 $ 1,090 Income and other taxes 262 210 Other current liabilities 275 239 Current maturities of long-term debt 313 662 ------- ------- Total current liabilities 1,982 2,201 Long-term debt (note 5) 6,645 6,863 Other liabilities (note 4) 1,323 1,146 Deferred income taxes 6,567 6,550 ------- ------- TOTAL LIABILITIES 16,517 16,760 ------- ------- Stockholders' equity: Common stock $1.00 per share par value 427 421 Additional paid-in capital 890 728 Unearned restricted stock (19) (8) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (33) (24) Retained income 7,671 6,893 ------- ------- 8,936 8,010 Less treasury stock at cost, 20,879,625 and 20,907,125 shares, respectively (20) (20) ------- ------- TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 8,916 7,990 ------- ------- TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 25,433 $ 24,750 ======= ======= See notes to consolidated financial statements. - ----------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow (Unaudited) ($ millions) Nine Months Ended Sept. 30, 2005 2004 ---- ---- CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net income $ 919 $ 659 Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 591 417 Deferred income taxes 7 112 Equity in earnings of Conrail (28) (45) Gain on Conrail corporate reorganization (note 1) -- (53) Gains on properties and investments (26) (15) Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations: Accounts receivable (112) (110) Materials and supplies (33) (10) Other current assets 106 70 Current liabilities other than debt 93 162 Other - net 85 24 ----- ----- Net cash provided by operating activities 1,602 1,211 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Property additions (578) (669) Property sales and other transactions 55 45 Investments, including short-term (1,232) (253) Investment sales and other transactions 553 5 ----- ----- Net cash used for investing activities (1,202) (872) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Dividends (141) (102) Common stock issued - net 114 71 Proceeds from borrowings (note 6) 332 202 Debt repayments (note 5) (863) (426) ----- ----- Net cash used for financing activities (558) (255) ----- ----- Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (158) 84 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: At beginning of year 467 284 ----- ----- At end of period 309 368 SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS AT END OF PERIOD 741 162 ----- ----- CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS AT END OF PERIOD $1,050 $ 530 ===== ===== SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION Cash paid during the period for: Interest (net of amounts capitalized) $ 330 $ 311 Income taxes (net of refunds) $ 161 $ 78 See notes to consolidated financial statements. - --------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: 1. CONRAIL CORPORATE REORGANIZATION - On August 27, 2004, NS, CSX and Conrail completed a corporate reorganization of Conrail that resulted in the direct ownership and control by Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) of routes and assets that had previously been operated by NSR under operating and lease agreements with a Conrail subsidiary. As a part of the reorganization, NSR issued new unsecured debt obligations, which were exchanged for unsecured debt obligations of Consolidated Rail Corporation (CRC), a Conrail subsidiary. In addition, NSR entered into new lease and sublease arrangements with CRC to support CRC's secured debt and lease obligations, and the long-term note due to Conrail was eliminated. The reorganization did not affect the Shared Assets Areas, which continue to be owned and operated by CRC. After the reorganization, "Conrail rents and services" reflects only the expenses associated with the Shared Assets Areas, and other expenses (primarily the depreciation related to the routes and assets) are reflected in their respective line items. This distribution resulted in a net gain of $53 million, which is included in Other income-net on the Consolidated Statement of Income. The gain increased net income by $53 million, or 13 cents per share (basic and diluted). 2. SETTLEMENTS OF COAL RATE CASES - During the second quarter of 2005, NS entered into settlement agreements with two utility customers that resolved their rail transportation rate cases before the Surface Transportation Board (STB). In 2002, Duke Energy (Duke) and Carolina Power & Light (CP&L) each filed rate reasonableness complaints with the STB. In October 2004, the STB found NS' rates to be reasonable in both cases, and at the STB's invitation, Duke and CP&L each initiated proceedings to determine if phasing constraints should apply. As a result of the settlements, NS recognized additional revenue related to the period in dispute, which net of associated expenses and income taxes increased second-quarter net income by $24 million, or 6 cents per share (basic and diluted). 3. REDUCTION OF DEFERRED TAXES - In the second quarter of 2005, Ohio enacted tax legislation that phases out its Corporate Franchise Tax, which was generally based on federal taxable income, and phases in a new gross receipts tax called the Commercial Activity Tax, which is based on current year sales and rentals. The elimination of the Corporate Franchise Tax resulted in a reduction of NS' deferred income tax liability in the second quarter, as required by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 109, "Accounting for Income Taxes," which increased net income by $96 million, or 23 cents per share (basic and diluted). 4. 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. Nine month results include approximately $39 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 $24 million, or 6 cents per share (basic and diluted). NS expects $2 million of additional costs for the remainder of the year. 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 recovery 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 the first nine months of 2005. NS expects at this time that insurance coverage is adequate to cover potential claims and settlements above its self-insurance retention. 5. DEBT EXCHANGE - In the second quarter of 2005, NS issued $717 million of new unsecured notes ($350 million at 5.64% due 2029 and $367 million at 5.59% due 2025)and paid $218 million of premium in exchange for $717 million of its previously issued unsecured notes ($350 million at 7.8% due 2027, $200 million at 7.25% due 2031, and $167 million at 9.0% due 2021). The $218 million cash premium payment is reflected as a reduction of debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows and will be amortized as additional interest expense over the terms of the new debt. 6. PAYMENTS TO CONRAIL - Payments made to Conrail in accordance with the operating and lease agreements in place before the Conrail corporate reorganization (see note 1) reduced NS' "Net cash provided by operating activities." A significant portion of these payments was borrowed back from a Conrail subsidiary. The net borrowings were included in NS' "Net cash used for financing activities" and totaled $118 million in the first nine months of 2004.