Railcar and locomotive lessor GATX reported 2024 fourth-quarter net income of $76.5 million or $2.10 per diluted share, compared to net income of $66 million or $1.81 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Chicago-based GATX said utilization of its Rail North America unit’s wholly owned fleet, comprising approximately 111,400 cars, excluding 8,400 boxcars, was 99.1% at the end of the fourth quarter, compared to 99.3% at the end of the prior quarter and 99.3% at 2023 year-end.
“Based on strong performance throughout the year, GATX delivered 2024 full-year financial results that exceeded our original expectations,” GATX CEO Robert C. Lyons said in a press release. “In Rail North America, demand for existing railcars remained steady, as expected. We continued to extend lease renewal terms at attractive rates while maintaining high fleet utilization and strong renewal success rate.
“In addition to the commercial results, we also invested over $1.1 billion in our North American rail business in 2024. We continued to expand the platform through opportunistic railcar purchases in addition to investments made under our existing supply agreement. Additionally, we experienced continued strong demand for GATX assets in the secondary market, allowing us to optimize the fleet through railcar sales and generate significant asset remarketing income.”
During the fourth quarter, the renewal lease rate change of the GATX Lease Price Index was 26.7%. This compares to 26.6% in the prior quarter and 33.5% in the fourth quarter of 2023. The average lease renewal term for railcars included in the index during the fourth quarter was 60 months, compared to 59 months in the prior quarter and 65 months in the fourth quarter of 2023. The 2024 fourth-quarter renewal success rate was 89.1%, compared to 82.0% in the prior quarter and 87.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Net income for full-year 2024 was $284.2 million or $7.78 per diluted share, compared to $259.2 million or $7.12 per diluted share year over year.
The 2024 and 2023 fourth-quarter results include net positive impacts of 17 cents per diluted share and 7 cents per diluted share, respectively, from tax adjustments and other items.
The 2024 full-year results include a net negative impact of 11 cents per diluted share from tax adjustments and other items. The 2023 full-year results include a net positive impact of 5 cents per diluted share from tax adjustments and other items.
Rail North America reported segment profit of $85 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $67 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. For the full year, profit was higher at $356 million, up from $307 million in 2023. Profit gains were driven primarily by higher lease revenue, partially offset by higher interest expense.
— This article originally appeared at FreightWaves.com.
