CN Delivers Record Results, Moving over 31 Million Metric Tonnes of Canadian Grain via Carload, Despite Unprecedented Challenges Over the Past Year

CN’s 2021-2022 Plan Builds on Commitment to Fostering Growth and Supporting our Canadian Grain Partners

MONTREAL, Aug. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) announces that it has set a new record for the movement of Canadian grain and processed grain products via carload with over 31 million metric tonnes (“MMT”) moved during the 2020-2021 crop year. CN also filed and published its 2021-2022 Grain Plan on Friday July 30.

This record exceeds the previous record for carload movement of 29.4 MMT set in the 2019–2020 crop year. CN also moved over 1.1 MMT of grain from Western Canada via containers, with grain volumes moved from Eastern Canada in addition to these levels.

“As an essential transportation service to the economy, to our customers, supply chain partners, and the communities we serve, we remain committed to making capacity-enhancing investments to our network and to upgrade our rolling stock. These investments benefit our grain customers, as well as all those from the other sectors we serve. CN’s grain movement has been resilient during the pandemic, achieving 14 straight months of Canadian grain volume shipment records. We recognize that growing conditions across much of the Prairies have been very challenging as many producers face extremely hot and dry weather this year. Our dedicated team of railroaders will continue to work tirelessly with Canadian farmers, agri-organizations and grain customers to have the resources in place to move the upcoming harvest for the communities we proudly serve.”

-      JJ Ruest, President and Chief Executive Officer, CN

Details of CN’s record success can be found in its annual Grain Plan, entitled From Farm to Market. This is the fourth year CN has produced a Plan in conjunction with key industry stakeholders. The Plan reviews CN’s performance during the previous crop year, assesses CN’s ability to move anticipated levels of grain during the upcoming crop year, and outlines specific steps that CN is taking to ensure it has the necessary capacity to move grain safely and efficiently for the benefit of farmers, customers and supply chain partners. The Grain Plan is also available on CN’s website at www.cn.ca/grain. CN will continue to publish monthly updates to the Plan.

In May 2021, CN announced its plans to acquire 1,000 new-generation, high-capacity, grain hopper cars. These innovative railcars will help meet the growing needs of grain farmers and grain customers, and are part of a larger 3,500 hopper car fleet renewal program over the next three years. Building on CN’s on-going grain hopper car fleet renewal program that began in 2018, CN’s new generation fleet will grow to 6,000 hopper cars. During the last five years, CN has invested more than C$15 billion in capital equipment and infrastructure to ensure it has the network capacity to meet the needs of our customers. CN’s overall investment plan reflects its determination to play a leading role in the economic recovery and to be part of the climate solution.

The proposed CN-Kansas City Southern combination will introduce new options for Canadian farmers and grain costumers to ship both grain and processed grain products. It will create a new single-line service to a wider array of destinations in the U.S. and Mexico, and will also create an end-to-end transportation network across North America, enhancing competition, spurring economic growth and delivering benefits to the local communities in which both railroads operate. To learn more about the CN-KCS combination, please visit www.connectedcontinent.com.

About CN
CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 19,500-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws, including statements based on management’s assessment and assumptions and publicly available information with respect to CN and KCS, regarding the proposed transaction between CN and KCS, the expected benefits of the proposed transaction and future opportunities for the combined company. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. CN cautions that its assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "assumes," "outlook," "plans," "targets", or other similar words.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of CN, or the combined company, to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: the outcome of the proposed transaction between CN and KCS; the parties’ ability to consummate the proposed transaction; the conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction; that the regulatory approvals required for the proposed transaction may not be obtained on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule or at all; CN’s indebtedness, including the substantial indebtedness CN expects to incur and assume in connection with the proposed transaction and the need to generate sufficient cash flows to service and repay such debt; CN’s ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; the possibility that CN may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies within the expected time-frames or at all and to successfully integrate KCS’ operations with those of CN; that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; that operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the proposed transaction or the public announcement of the proposed transaction; the retention of certain key employees of KCS may be difficult; the duration and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, general economic and business conditions, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; industry competition; inflation, currency and interest rate fluctuations; changes in fuel prices; legislative and/or regulatory developments; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; actions by regulators; the adverse impact of any termination or revocation by the Mexican government of KCS de México, S.A. de C.V.’s Concession; increases in maintenance and operating costs; security threats; reliance on technology and related cybersecurity risk; trade restrictions or other changes to international trade arrangements; transportation of hazardous materials; various events which could disrupt operations, including illegal blockades of rail networks, and natural events such as severe weather, droughts, fires, floods and earthquakes; climate change; labor negotiations and disruptions; environmental claims; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; risks and liabilities arising from derailments; timing and completion of capital programs; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by CN with securities regulators in Canada and the United States. Reference should also be made to Management’s Discussion and Analysis in CN’s annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators and available on CN’s website, for a description of major risk factors relating to CN.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. CN assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event CN does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

No Offer or Solicitation

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction, CN has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a registration statement on Form F-4 to register the shares to be issued in connection with the proposed transaction, and the registration statement has been declared effective. CN has filed with the SEC its prospectus and KCS has filed with the SEC its definitive proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction, and the KCS proxy statement is being sent to the stockholders of KCS seeking their approval of the merger-related proposals. This news release is not a substitute for the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other documents CN and/or KCS may file with the SEC or applicable securities regulators in Canada in connection with the proposed transaction.

INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROSPECTUS, THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC OR APPLICABLE SECURITIES REGULATORS IN CANADA CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN AND WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CN, KCS AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada by CN free of charge through at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Copies of the documents filed by CN (if and when available) will also be made available free of charge by accessing CN’s website at www.CN.ca. Copies of the documents filed by KCS (if and when available) will also be made available free of charge at www.investors.kcsouthern.com, upon written request delivered to KCS at 427 West 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or by calling KCS’ Corporate Secretary’s Office by telephone at 1-888-800-3690 or by email at corpsec@kcsouthern.com.

Participants
This news release is neither a solicitation of a proxy nor a substitute for the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other filings that may be made with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada. Nonetheless, CN and certain of their directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about CN’s executive officers and directors is available in its 2021 Management Information Circular, dated March 9, 2021, as well as its 2020 Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on February 1, 2021, in each case available on its website at www.CN.ca/investors/ and at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is or may be included in the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other documents filed with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada if and when they become available. These documents (if and when available) may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and from www.sedar.com, as applicable.

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