Rail Equipment Conference Call Takeaways: Cowen
On May 31, we held a discussion with five expert panelists who provided insights into the current state and outlook of the rail, locomotive and railcar leasing and manufacturing markets. Overall, railcar demand recovery has been driven largely by freight cars, but our panelists indicated that tank car utilization and rates are rising. If this continues and eventually leads to higher tank builds, it could be a margin tailwind for manufacturers. As for the broader railcar market, inquiries remain strong, but labor and disruptions could limit production. Locomotive upgrades remain solid.