FT: Activist calls for Canadian National CEO to resign after rail deal hits hurdle

THE FINANCIAL TIMES reports:

UK hedge fund manager Chris Hohn has demanded that Canadian National abandon its $34bn pursuit of Kansas City Southern, after the US railroad regulator rejected the way the transaction was structured as it held the potential to harm the public interest. 

In a letter to the board of CN seen by the Financial Times, the head of TCI, one of the largest shareholders in the Montreal-based company with a 5 per cent stake worth about $4bn, also called for the resignation of CN’s chair Robert Pace and chief executive Jean-Jacques Ruest.

The move by the activist investor followed a decision by the US Surface Transportation Board to reject CN’s request to create a temporary voting trust, whereby shareholders in KCS would be paid before the transaction had received full approval by the regulator. CN shares were up nearly 7 per cent in late Tuesday trade.

CN and KCS could still choose to go ahead with the transaction without using a voting trust, but the regulator’s decision is likely to derail the deal altogether as shareholders of the US company are more likely to back an alternative union with rival railway group Canadian Pacific.

CP had previously reached an agreement to buy KCS, but it was later terminated after the US company received a better offer by CN. CP made a new offer to buy KCS in early August that was worth about $31bn, including debt, as it expected that STB would reject the use of a voting trust for CN. 

“CN should immediately withdraw from its agreement to by KCS,” Hohn told the FT. “The CN board should not proceed without a voting trust because it would be hugely value destructive, cost billions in break fees and would distract management at a time when the business is underperforming.

“The CN board has consistently misjudged the STB and the predictions of the board have been consistently wrong. As a result the [CN] board now lacks all credibility and so the chairman and CEO should resign,” added Hohn.

CN and CP did not have immediate comments on the matter.

TCI, which recently disclosed having an activist position in CN, has named Jim Vena, who has worked at CN in the past and at rival Union Pacific, as the person to run the company….

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Kansas City Southern stock down 4.39% to $280.67 for the day; Canadian National up over 7%; Canadian Pacific down 4.5%.