KSU on NYSE

Kansas City Southern

Logo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Former American railroad holding company

Kansas City Southern (KCS) was a transportation holding company with railroad investments in the United States, Mexico, and Panama and operated from 1887 to 2023. The KCS rail network included about 7,299 miles (11,747 km) of track in the U.S. and Mexico.3 From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Last updated Oct 16, 2026.

Overview

1962Founded1

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  • TickerKSU on NYSE1
  • IndustryRailroads, Line-Haul Operating1
  • HeadquartersKansas City1
  • Websitewww.kcsouthern.com
  • Incorporated inDE5
  • Business address427 W 12Th Street, Kansas City, Mo 641055
  • Filer categoryNon-accelerated filer5

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Kansas City Southern Railway system map
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. NE2 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons6

Kansas City Southern (KCS) was a transportation holding company with railroad investments in the United States, Mexico, and Panama and operated from 1887 to 2023. The KCS rail network included about 7,299 miles (11,747 km) of track in the U.S. and Mexico.3

Financials

From the company’s reports to the SEC. Every number links to the filing it came from.

Key numbers, fiscal 2022

36.4%Operating margin7
29.1%Net margin7
14.4%Revenue growth, 20227
22.0%Return on equity7
$544.1MFree cash flow7

Where the money goes

Where each dollar of revenue went, fiscal 2022

  • Other costs57¢$1.9B
  • Interest5¢$156.6M
  • Income tax10¢$325.9M
  • Profit29¢$982.2M

Out of $3.4B in revenue.7

Where each dollar of operating cash went, fiscal 2022

  • Capital spending38¢$529.0M
  • Dividends paid62¢$880.0M

Out of $1.1B of cash from operations. Spending exceeded cash from operations; the rest came from savings or borrowing.7

Financial statements

Revenue8910117$3.4B in 2022+44% since 2016
0$1.0B$2.0B$3.0B$4.0B2016: $2.3B$2.3B20162017: $2.6B$2.6B2017+11%2018: $2.7B$2.7B2018+5%2019: $2.9B$2.9B2019+6%2020: $2.6B$2.6B2020−8%2021: $2.9B$2.9B2021+12%2022: $3.4B$3.4B2022+14%
Operating income8910117$1.2B in 2022+50% since 2016
0$500.0M$1.0B$1.5B2016: $818.5M$818.5M20162017: $921.6M$921.6M2017+13%2018: $986.3M$986.3M2018+7%2019: $886.3M$886.3M2019−10%2020: $1.0B$1.0B2020+13%2021: $883.8M$883.8M2021−12%2022: $1.2B$1.2B2022+39%
Net income8910117$982.2M in 2022+105% since 2016
0$250.0M$500.0M$750.0M$1.0B2016: $478.1M$478.1M20162017: $962.0M$962.0M2017+101%2018: $627.4M$627.4M2018−35%2019: $538.9M$538.9M2019−14%2020: $617.0M$617.0M2020+14%2021: $525.2M$525.2M2021−15%2022: $982.2M$982.2M2022+87%
Fiscal year2016201720182019202020212022
Revenue$2.3B8$2.6B9$2.7B10$2.9B11$2.6B7$2.9B7$3.4B7
Operating income$818.5M8$921.6M9$986.3M10$886.3M11$1.0B7$883.8M7$1.2B7
Interest$97.7M8$100.2M9$110.0M10$115.9M11$150.9M7$156.0M7$156.6M7
Income tax$182.8M8-$89.6M9$257.5M10$247.6M11$204.1M7$211.1M7$325.9M7
Net income$478.1M8$962.0M9$627.4M10$538.9M11$617.0M7$525.2M7$982.2M7
Earnings per share$4.448$9.189$6.1610$5.4210$6.5710
Earnings per share (diluted)$4.438$9.169$6.1310$5.4010$6.5410

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How it started

History

In 1887, Arthur Edward Stilwell and Edward L. Martin began construction on and incorporated the Kansas City Suburban Belt Railway in suburban Kansas City, Missouri. Beginning operations in 1890, the railroad served the Argentine District in Kansas City, Kansas; Independence, Missouri; and the riverside commercial and industrial districts of Kansas City.

While the Belt Railway was a success, Stilwell had a much bigger dream. Over the ensuing decade, the line grew through construction and acquisition of other roads, such as the Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway, to become a through route between Kansas City and Port Arthur, Texas. With the final spike being driven north of Beaumont, Texas, on September 11, 1897, the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad Company (KCP&G) was completed. In 1900, KCP&G became The Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS). In 1939, KCS acquired the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway (L&A), providing a route extending from Dallas to New Orleans, via Shreveport, Louisiana.

In 1962, KCS reorganized as a holding company, Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. (KCSI), as it began to diversify its interests into other industries under the CEO William Deramus III. The new KCSI focused primarily on the financial industry, along with the rail industry. In 1969, KCSI started the two largest companies that came out of the diversification: DST Systems and Janus Capital Group, which was known as Stilwell Financial at the time. DST Systems is a software development firm that specializes in information processing and management, with the goal of improving efficiency, productivity, and customer service. Janus Capital Group is a finance firm that provides growth and risk-managed investment strategies.

Expansion in the 1990s

The core KCSI rail system changed little until the 1990s, when the purchase of MidSouth Rail extended KCSI's reach east from Shreveport into Mississippi and Alabama. Combined with existing KCSI routes, this created an east-west mainline marketed as the Meridian Speedway. Another acquisition, the Gateway Western Railway, extended KCS's reach from Kansas City to St. Louis, Missouri, and Springfield, Illinois.

From Wikipedia’s article on Kansas City Southern, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Leadership

Who has led Kansas City Southern, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chief executive

  1. Job A. Edson1905–1918
  2. Job A. Edson1920–1927
197019801990200020102020

Former names

  • KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN INDUSTRIES INCNov 14, 1994 to May 2, 20025

Timeline

  1. Apr 14, 2023Acquired Acquired by Canadian Pacific Kansas City1
  2. Nov 1, 1962Went public Listed on NYSE1
  3. 1962Founded Founded1
  4. 1905New chief executive Job A. Edson becomes CEO1

Recent filings

  1. Apr 20, 20238-K
  2. Feb 28, 202310-K/A
  3. Feb 3, 202310-K
  4. Oct 27, 202210-Q
  5. Jul 28, 202210-Q
  6. Jul 20, 20228-K
  7. Apr 28, 202210-Q
  8. Apr 4, 202210-K/A
  9. Feb 1, 202210-K
  10. Dec 15, 20214 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
  11. Dec 15, 20214 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
  12. Dec 15, 20214 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
  13. Dec 15, 20214 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
  14. Dec 15, 20214 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
  15. Dec 15, 20214 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Every filing from the last three years, summarized. The full record is on SEC EDGAR.2

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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