CSX CFO Shares Expectations for Second Quarter and Full Year

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – May 17, 2016 – CSX Corporation Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Frank Lonegro spoke with investors and analysts today at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Transportation Conference in Boston, updating them on second-quarter volume trends and the company’s plans to continue managing through the transition in its business mix.

“We are seeing year-to-date volume declines across most of our markets, reflecting continued low global commodity prices, the strong U.S. dollar, and the transition in the energy markets,” Lonegro said. “For the second quarter, we now expect high-single digit volume declines, which will negatively impact second quarter earnings.”

At the same time, continued service improvements are supporting strong pricing through this business cycle. With the impact of improving service and ongoing initiatives to drive further network efficiency, CSX now expects efficiency savings for the full year to exceed $250 million, approaching a company record.  However, market forces are still expected to more than offset the gains in safety, service, pricing and efficiency, resulting in the company’s first full-year earnings decline since the recession.
 
Looking forward, CSX is driving long-term strategies to maximize its evolving business portfolio, including transforming its network to match resources with demand, leveraging technology solutions for service and efficiency, investing in the future of intermodal, and continuing to focus on delivering excellent service for customers. As the company’s business transitions to merchandise and intermodal markets, these initiatives are designed to drive earnings growth and margin expansion as CSX continues to target a mid-60s operating ratio longer term.

About CSX and its Disclosures

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company.  It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products.  For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development.  Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides.  It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike.

This announcement, as well as additional financial information, is available on the company's website at http://investors.csx.com. CSX also uses social media channels to communicate information about the company. Although social media channels are not intended to be the primary method of disclosure for material information, it is possible that certain information CSX posts on social media could be deemed to be material.

Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in the company to review the information we post on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX) and on Slideshare (http://www.slideshare.net/HowTomorrowMoves).  

The social media channels used by CSX may be updated from time to time.  More information about the company and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX).

Contact: 
David Baggs, Investor Relations
904-359-4812

Melanie Cost, Corporate Communications
904-359-1702