SAPTCO Valuation Multiples

Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific is the largest public railroad in North America. Operating on more than 30,000 miles of track in the western two-thirds of the US, Union Pacific generated $24 billion of revenue in 2024 by hauling coal, industrial products, intermodal containers, agricultural goods, chemicals, fertilizers, and automotive goods. Union Pacific owns about one-fourth of Mexican railroad Ferromex and historically derives roughly 10% of its revenue hauling freight to and from Mexico.

Operating in the Eastern United States, Class I railroad CSX generated revenue near $14.5 billion in 2024. On its more than 21,000 miles of track, CSX hauls shipments of coal (16% of consolidated revenue), chemicals (17%), intermodal containers (16%), automotive cargo (7%), and a diverse mix of other bulk and industrial merchandise.

Cummins is a leading manufacturer of diesel and other engines used in heavy- and medium-duty commercial trucks, off-highway equipment, and locomotives, in addition to prime power and standby generators. The company also sells powertrain components, which include filtration products, transmissions, turbochargers, aftertreatment systems, and fuel systems. Sales are approximately 60% US and Canada and 40% rest of the world. Much of Cummins’ foreign sales (China, India, and so forth) are through joint ventures. The company operates 650 distributors and over 19,000 dealer locations across 190 countries. Cummins’ business model is unique as it competes with many of its heavy-duty truck manufacturer customers, which also make their own engines.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City is a Class I railroad operating on tracks that span most of Canada and into parts of the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. Following the April 2023 Kansas City Southern merger, CPKC operates new single-linehaul services from Canada and the Upper Midwest down through Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, and into Mexico. It also hauls cross-border and intra-Mexico freight via operating concessions on more than 3,000 miles of rail in Mexico. CPKC hauls shipments of grain, intermodal containers, energy products (like crude and frac sand), chemicals, plastics, coal, fertilizer and potash, automotive products, and a diverse mix of other merchandise.

Canadian National's railway spans Canada from coast to coast and extends through Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico. In 2024, CN generated CAD 17 billion in revenue by hauling intermodal containers (22% of consolidated revenue), petroleum and chemicals (20%), grain and fertilizers (20%), forest products (11%), metals and minerals (12%), automotive shipments (5%), and coal (5%). Other items constitute the remaining revenue.

Class I railroad Norfolk Southern operates in the Eastern United States. On more than 20,000 miles of track, the rail hauls shipments of coal, intermodal traffic, and a diverse mix of automotive, agricultural, metal, chemical, and forest products.

Old Dominion Freight Line is the second-largest less-than-truckload carrier in the United States (following FedEx Freight), with more than 250 service centers and 11,000-plus tractors. It is one of the most disciplined and efficient providers in the trucking industry, and its profitability and capital returns are well above those of its peers. Strategic initiatives focus on increasing network density through market-share gains and on maintaining industry-leading service (including ultralow cargo claims) through steadfast infrastructure investment.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp provides value-added, technology-based products and services for the freight rail and passenger transit industries and the mining, marine, and industrial markets. It provides its products and services through two main business segments: Freight and Transit. The company generates maximum revenue from the Freight segment, which manufactures new and modernized locomotives, provides aftermarket parts and services to existing locomotives, provides components to new and existing freight cars; builds new commuter locomotives; supplies rail control and infrastructure products, including electronics, positive train control equipment, signal design, and engineering services. Geographically, it generates a majority of its revenue from the United States.

Denmark-listed A.P. Moller-Maersk operates trade, shipping, logistics, and terminal assets globally. The oceans segment, the largest contributor to group revenue and earnings, has the second-largest oceangoing shipping capacity globally. Maersk has acquired several logistics firms in the past couple of years and plans for the segment to be the company's growth engine. Over the past few years, Maersk has divested noncore operations, including its long-standing stakes in Danske Bank and Dansk Supermarked, as well as its oil and gas operations and ocean towing.

Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway Co Ltd is a provider of rail passenger transportation. The company is engaged in the investment, construction, and operation of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and its stations.

Following the spinoff of its contract logistics division (GXO) in 2021 and freight brokerage operations (RXO) in 2022, XPO is moving closer to becoming a pure-play asset-based less-than-truckload carrier. We estimate LTL shipping makes up 60% of total revenue, with XPO's European truckload and LTL operations making up 40%. However, XPO's LTL segment EBITDA mix is much higher than 60%. We believe XPO intends to divest its European trucking division once it finds the right buyer.

MTR constructs and operates Hong Kong's rail network, giving it a monopoly position. In addition to rail operation, the company makes recurring income from commercial business within the stations. This includes rental of retail kiosks and advertisement within the station and investment properties in shopping malls above stations. Residential real estate development forms part of MTR's return for the rail operation. In a normalized environment, average operating profit is approximately 20% in rail operation, 60% in station commercial and property leasing business, and 20% in property development. The Hong Kong government owns 75% of MTR.

East Japan Railway Company, or JR East, is the largest railway operator in Japan. It was originally established when the government-owned nationwide railway operator underwent a six-way territorial split in 1987, though it wasn't fully privatized until 2002. It runs both long distance bullet trains, known as Shinkansen, and shorter municipal train routes around and from Tokyo. Its 7,400 kilometers of rail track covers half of Japan's population and a third of the country's land area. Two thirds of revenue is from transportation, with most of the rest from retail operations and real estate investments.

CRRC Corp Ltd is engaged in research and development, design, manufacturing, refurbishment, sales, leasing and technical services of railway locomotives, MUs, urban rail transit vehicles, engineering machinery, various electromechanical equipment, electronic equipment and components, as well as electronic devices and environmental protection equipment; information consultation; industry investment and management; asset management; import and export business. Its business operations are spread across Mainland China which derives the highest revenue, and a few other countries.

Central Japan Railway Company, or JR Central, is the main railway operator in Nagoya and the Chubu region in central Japan. It was originally established when the government-owned nationwide railway operator underwent a six-way territorial split in 1987. Its main asset is the Tokaido Shinkansen, which spans Japan's most wealthy and populous area and links Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. It contributes three-fourths of revenue, with most of the balance from merchandise, conventional train lines, and real estate.

Knorr-Bremse AG is engaged in the development, production, marketing, and servicing of Automotive parts. It operates its business activities in two divisions: Rail Vehicle Systems and Commercial Vehicle Systems. Its product portfolio comprises Braking, entrance, and HVAC systems; power electric and control technology; digital solutions; couplers; signal systems; pneumatic braking systems; energy supply and distribution systems; wiper and wash systems; and others. Majority of revenue is from Rail Vehicle System. Its geographical segments are Europe/Africa, North America, South America, and Asia-Pacific.

Daqin Railway Co Ltd is a transportation, trucking, and railroad company that provides transportation services in China. It is engaged in the transportation of goods, mainly thermal coal, and is responsible for coal shipments from regions including Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi. The company also transports other bulk cargo such as coke, steel, ore, containers, and general bulk goods. Its passenger operations include the operation of multiple train routes with Taiyuan, Datong, and other locations as departure and arrival points. Additional activities include locomotive traction, use of freight cars and railway lines, and freight car maintenance.

TFI International Inc is involved in the provision of transportation and logistics services across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company's reportable segments are; Less-Than-Truckload, which derives maximum revenue, Truckload, and Logistics. The Less-Than-Truckload segment engages in pickup, consolidation, transport, and delivery of smaller loads; the Truckload segment deals with full loads carried directly from the customer to the destination using a closed van or specialized equipment to meet customer's specific needs; and the Logistics segment provides asset-light logistics services, including brokerage, freight forwarding, and transportation management, as well as small package parcel delivery. Geographically, the company generates maximum revenue from the United States.

Knight-Swift Transportation is the largest full-truckload carrier in the US, with a diversified transportation offering. Pro forma for the US Xpress deal, about 82% of revenue derives from Knight’s asset-based trucking business, with full truckload (for-hire dry van, refrigerated, and dedicated contract) making up 69% and less than truckload 13%. Truck brokerage and other asset-light logistics services make up 9% of revenue, with intermodal near 6%. Knight's intermodal operations use the Class I railroads for the underlying movement of its shipping containers and include drayage (regional trucking services to and from inland intermodal ramps/terminals). The remainder of revenue reflects services offered to shippers and third-party truckers, including equipment maintenance and leasing.

U-Haul Holding Co is an American moving truck, trailer, and self-storage rental company. The company also provides moving boxes, packing supplies, LPG (propane) refills, trailer hitch and wiring installation, storage container rentals, and other services. It has three reportable segments Moving and Storage, Property and Casualty Insurance, and Life Insurance. The majority of its revenue comes from the Moving and Storage segment.

Indian Railway Finance Corp Ltd is engaged in the business of borrowing funds from the financial markets to finance the acquisition/creation of assets, which are then leased out to the Indian Railways or any entity under the Ministry of Railways. Its only operating segment is Leasing and Finance. The company generates maximum revenue from Lease Income.

Hyundai Rotem Co is a Korea-based company that manufactures and sells railway vehicles, defense systems, and plants and machinery in South Korea and internationally. The company operates through three segments. The Defense sector supplies key ground equipment such as K2 tanks and wheeled armored vehicles. The Plant sector provides automobile production facilities and eco-friendly steelmaking equipment, and is expanding into hydrogen infrastructure and smart logistics systems, including port AGVs and automated warehouses. The Railway sector supplies various domestic and overseas trains and develops core components such as traction motors, propulsion systems, auxiliary power units, and train control systems.

Saia ranks among the 10 largest less-than-truckload carriers in the United States, with more than 200 facilities and a fleet of more than 6,500 tractors and 26,000 trailers. As a national LTL carrier, the firm offers time-definite and expedited options for shipments ranging between 100 and 10,000 pounds. Saia ranks among the top-tier providers in terms of profitability.

Getlink SE manages and operates a railroad tunnel connecting continental Europe and the United Kingdom. It is organized into the following segments: Eurotunnel, Europorte, and ElecLink. The Eurotunnel segment, which derives maximum revenue, operates and markets its shuttle services in the tunnel and also provides access, on payment of a toll, for the circulation of the railway companies’ high-speed passenger trains (Eurostar) and rail freight services through its railway network. The Europorte segment covers the entire rail freight transport logistics chain in France as well as cross-border flows to Belgium and Germany. The ElecLink segment is engaged in the operation of its electricity interconnector which runs through the Channel Tunnel linking the French and British electricity grids.

Inpost SA operates a pan-European out-of-home delivery platform for e-commerce. InPost’s operations span the entire e-commerce value chain, significantly enhancing the experiences of merchants and consumers. As a player in the European market, operating in nine countries (Poland, France, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg), It plays a role in shaping the region’s e-commerce and logistics landscape through its OOH solutions and dedication to innovation and quality service.

YTO Express is one of the Tongda Operators—the top four national express delivery companies that use the network partner model. In this model, Tongdas provide line-haul transportation, sorting, and waybill services to their network partners for fees, while their local network partners provide first-mile pickup and last-mile delivery services under the Tongdas’ brands and collect customer payments. The company was founded by Yu Huijiao in 2020. Yu remains chair and president with a 33.2% stake as of Sept. 30, 2024. Yu and Zhang Xiao Juan, who owned 2.15% of YTO as of that date, are persons acting in concert. YTO’s strategic shareholder is leading China e-commerce company Alibaba Group and its affiliated companies, with around a 20.09% interest as of Sept. 30, 2024.

West Japan Railway, or JR West, is the main railway operator in Western Japan, headquartered in Osaka. It was originally established when the government-owned nationwide railway operator underwent a six-way territorial split in 1987. Its main assets are the Sanyo Shinkansen, which stretches from Osaka to Fukuoka, and the urban rail network in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. Its nearly 5,000 kilometers of rail track covers a third of Japan’s population and a fifth of its land area. Rail operations contribute more than half of revenue, with most of the balance from retail operations, real estate investments, travel agencies, and hotels.

Alstom develops and markets equipment, systems, and services for the railway transport sector, including rolling stock, maintenance and modernization services, signaling, and infrastructure, which are offered separately, bundled, or as fully integrated solutions. The company is one of the key international players in the industry with a strong position in European markets.

Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric Co Ltd is in the R&D, design, manufacturing, and sales of rail transit equipment products and the provision of related services, and has an industrial structure of components, systems, and complete machines. Its products mainly include rail transit electrical equipment, railway engineering machinery, communication signal systems, and others. Meanwhile, the Company actively expands to industries other than rail transit, and conducts business in the fields of power semiconductor devices, industrial converter products, electric drive systems for new energy vehicles, sensor devices, and marine equipment, The Company operates in the domestic market and overseas markets.

Schneider National Inc is a provider of surface transportation and logistics solutions in North America. The Company offers truckload, LTL carriers, railroads, ocean carriers, airlines to a diverse customer base throughout the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company's segments include Truckload, Intermodal, Logistics and other. It generates maximum revenue from the Truckload segment.

Tokyu Corp is a Japan-based industry conglomerate mainly engaged in the transportation, real estate, leisure services, and hotel and resort businesses. The segments in which the group operates include Transportation, Real estate, Life service, and Hotel & Resort Business. Through its subsidiaries, it offers leisure-related services such as travel agents, theaters, golf, and car rental agents. It derives the majority of revenue from the Life service segment, which is engaged in Department store business, chain store business, shopping center business, Cable TV business, advertising business, and video business.

Tokyo Metro Co Ltd is engaged in the transportation, real estate, distribution, and advertising businesses. The Transportation segment operates and manages a subway network of nine lines mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The Real Estate segment develops and rents office buildings and hotels, such as Shibuya Mark City, along railway lines. The Distribution and Advertising segment operates commercial facilities like Echika at subway stations and handles advertising within stations and trains, as well as information and communication services. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Transportation segment.

Rumo SA is a service provider in the logistics sector (rail and multimodal transport), mainly for the export of commodities, offering an integrated solution for transportation, handling, storage, and shipping. Its operating segment includes North Operations; South Operations, and Container Operations. The company generates maximum revenue from the North Operations segment. The company's revenue consists of rail freight services, road freight, transport containers, storage and transshipment.

Aurizon operates rail haulage of coal, iron ore, and freight, and owns a regulated rail network in Queensland. Coal haulage from mine to port contributes a third of operating income. The noncoal bulk segment contributes less than 15% of earnings and undertakes the rail haulage of agricultural, mining, and industrial products. The rail network, composed of 2,670 kilometers of coal rail network under a 99-year lease from the Queensland government, contributes half of earnings.

RXO Inc is a brokered transportation platform defined by technology and a nimble, asset-light business model, with the component being core truck brokerage business. Its operations also include three asset-light, brokered transportation services, all of which complement its truck brokerage business: managed transportation, last mile and freight forwarding. The company operates into one reportable segment. The operates within the transportation industry and in the same geography North America.

Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp is principally engaged in the operation of the high-speed railway system in Taiwan. It generates revenue in the form of railroad transportation revenue.

Yamato Holdings Co Ltd provides logistics and shipping services in Japan and internationally. The company operates through five segments: Contract Logistics Business, Express Business, Global Business, Mobility Business, and Others. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Express Business segment. It also offers shared services, which include highway transportation and personnel placement.

Keisei Electric Railway Co Ltd is a Japanese company that operates railways in Japan. The company’s three segments are transportation, distribution, and real estate management. The transportation segment offers passenger transportation services by rail, bus, and taxi, and it contributes the majority of revenue. The distribution segment is engaged in operating department stores, shopping centers, and other retail stores. The company derives revenue from real estate activities such as leasing and selling its properties. It also generates additional revenue from activities ranging from real estate construction, operation of restaurants, hotels, and leisure sites to car maintenance services.

Odakyu Electric Railway Co Ltd is a Japanese company mainly engaged in transportation services. The company has three reportable segments, namely Life service industry; Real estate industry; and Transportation. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Transportation segment, which includes the Railway business, bus business, taxi business, route business, cableway business, etc.

Tobu Railway Co Ltd is a transportation and industrial company in Japan. The company organises itself into five segments: transportation, leisure, real estate, retail distribution, and others. Transportation, which contributes a portion of revenue, operates passenger transportation services through rail, bus, and taxi, and freight and delivery services. Retail distribution operates department stores and a chain of supermarkets. The leisure segment operates hotels, theme parks, golf courses, and related leisure businesses. The real estate segment leases real estate and operates bicycle and parking lot businesses. The Other business is engaged in the construction industry, electrical work, etc.

ArcBest Corp is an integrated logistics company that leverages technology and a full suite of shipping and logistics solutions to meet customers' supply chain needs. The company has two reportable operating segments: Asset-Based, which generates maximum revenue, and Asset-Light. The Asset-Based segment's operations include national, inter-regional, and regional transportation of general commodities through standard, expedited, and guaranteed less-than-truckload services. The Asset-Light segment represents the company's offerings in ground expedite, intermodal, household goods moving, managed transportation, warehousing and distribution, and international freight transportation for air, ocean, and ground.

Kyushu Railway, or JR Kyushu, is one of seven Japanese railway companies formed when the government privatized Japan Rail in 1987. The rail company services the island of Kyushu, which is just off the South of Japan mainland. Kyushu is colloquially referred to as the 10:10:10 region—covering about 10% of Japan’s landmass, housing about 10% of Japan’s population and producing about 10% of Japan’s gross domestic product. JR Kyushu operates three businesses: rail transportation; real estate and hotels; and construction, retail, restaurants, and business services.

Trinity Industries Inc sells and leases railroad products and railcar maintenance services in North America. The company operates under the name TrinityRail in two main segments: railcar leasing and management services, which owns railcars and provides fleet management and administration services; rail products, which builds, sells, and modifies freight and tank railcars and their components; and all other, which sells highway products such as guardrail and other highway barriers. Customers include railroads, leasing companies, and shipping companies in agriculture, construction, consumer products, energy, and chemicals.

Bangkok Expressway and Metro PCL and its subsidiaries are engaged in the construction and management of expressways and the operation of metro lines in Thailand. In conjunction with the operation of the Metro Blue Line, the company also handles the advertising and telecommunications maintenance in the trains and stations. Its segments include the Expressway business segment; Rail business segment; Commercial development business segment; and Other segments. The maximum revenue is derived from the Expressway business segment.

Stadler Rail AG is a Switzerland based producer of rolling stock and related systems. The company operates in three reportable segments that are Rolling Stock segment which include the manufacturing of various types of rail vehicles. The Service & Components segment offers full service, modernization and revision, spare parts service, and vehicle repairs, including the maintenance and assessment of defects, and Signalling segment develops and distributes various signalling solutions for vehicles and infrastructures. Geographically the company operates in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, America, CIS and Rest of the world.

Guangshen Railway Co Ltd is one of the key railway operators in southern China's relatively prosperous Guangdong province. It provides both passenger and freight transportation through its wholly owned Guangzhou Shenzhen intercity express rail line and Guangzhou Pingshi rail line, as well as a few long-distance passenger lines. Its operating segment includes The Railway Transportation Business and others. The majority of revenue is generated from the railway transportation business segment. The Railway Transportation includes two segments: Passengers and Freights. Majority of revenue is from Passenger Segment.

Deppon Logistics Co Ltd is a logistics providing company. The company focuses on businesses like express delivery, whole vehicle storage, and supply chain, and cross-border.