Description of business and Basis of presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of presentation

On April 14, 2023, Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (“CPRL" or "CP") assumed control of Kansas City Southern ("KCS") (through an indirect wholly owned subsidiary), and filed articles of amendment to change CPRL's name to Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited ("CPKC"). CPKC owns and operates the only freight railway spanning Canada, the United States ("U.S."), and Mexico. CPKC provides rail and intermodal transportation services over a network of approximately 20,000 miles, directly serving principal business centres of Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.

These unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements ("Interim Consolidated Financial Statements") of CPKC and its subsidiaries (collectively, “CPKC”, or “the Company”), expressed in Canadian dollars, reflect management’s estimates and assumptions that are necessary for their fair presentation in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). They do not include all disclosures required under GAAP for annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the 2022 annual Consolidated Financial Statements and notes included in CPRL's 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The accounting policies used are consistent with the accounting policies used in preparing CPRL’s 2022 annual Consolidated Financial Statements except as discussed in Note 2.

In these Interim Consolidated Financial Statements, unless the context indicates otherwise, references to "CPKC", “the Company”, “we”, “our”, or “us” are to Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited and its subsidiaries, which includes KCS as a consolidated subsidiary on and from April 14, 2023. Prior to April 14, 2023, KCS was held as an equity investment accounted for by the equity method of accounting.

The Company's operations can be affected by seasonal fluctuations such as changes in customer demand and weather-related issues. This seasonality could impact quarter-over-quarter comparisons.

In management’s opinion, the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal and recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly such information. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the fiscal year.

Accounting changes, Implemented in 2023 and Future changes

Implemented in 2023

On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted the new Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-08, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), and all related amendments under FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), Topic 805, Business Combinations, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers in anticipation of obtaining effective control of KCS. The amendment introduces the requirement for an acquirer to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, rather than at fair value. The Company assumed control of KCS (through an indirect wholly owned subsidiary) on April 14, 2023. This update was applied prospectively to contract assets and liabilities within the scope of this amendment, which includes contract assets and liabilities of KCS that are recorded in the purchase price allocation. The adoption of the amendment did not result in a material impact to the Company's financial statements. See Note 8 for further discussion on the business acquisition of KCS.

All other accounting pronouncements that became effective during the period covered by the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial statements and related disclosures.

Future changes

All accounting pronouncements recently issued, but not effective until after September 30, 2023, have been assessed and are not expected to have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

Business combinations

Management is required to make estimates and assumptions of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities and non-controlling interest assumed in the business combination at the acquisition date. These estimates and assumptions are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. Therefore, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the date of acquisition, the Company will adjust the fair values of the assets and liabilities based on new information about facts and circumstances that existed at the Control Date that, if known, would affect the amounts recognized as of that date. Changes in the provisional amounts may impact goodwill. After the earlier of the end of the measurement period or when the final fair value of the assets and liabilities assumed have been determined, any subsequent adjustments are recorded in the Interim Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company identifies pre-acquisition contingencies as of the date of acquisition and will continue to assess these contingencies on a quarterly basis throughout the measurement period to determine whether these contingencies should be included in the fair value of assets and liabilities assumed. After the earlier of the end of the measurement period or when the final fair value of the assets and liabilities assumed have been determined, any subsequent changes to the pre-acquisition contingencies that impact the fair value of the assets and liabilities assumed are recorded in the Interim Consolidated Statements of Income.

In the event that the Company acquires a business in which it previously held an equity interest, the Company remeasures the fair value of the investment at the acquisition date, with any difference in the valuation recorded as a net remeasurement gain or loss in the Interim Consolidated Statements of Income. Any pre-existing relationship between the Company and the acquiree is effectively settled with a corresponding gain or loss recorded in the Interim Consolidated Statements of Income, separately, from the business acquisition.