(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
BNSF Railway’s carloads for 2019 have continued their downward trend as compared to 2018 due to a major decrease in intermodal shipping, which are down 5.53% from 2018.
Coal shipments as of the week ending July 20, 2019, are down 5.21% over the same period last year, and combined intermodal and carloads numbers are down 4.41% in the aggregate.
Also, showing weaker numbers are grain shipments, which are down 10.9%, and shipments of motor vehicles are down 5.31%.
Last year was a strong year for BNSF, with the combined carloads including intermodal up 4.03% over 2017, however 2019’s numbers have been hurt by lower shipments due to tariffs, weak global demand for coal, and severe spring flooding in the Midwest that closed some routes and slowed others.
© 2019 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.