Financial Performance - Fourth Quarter 2024 total operating revenue was $3.15 billion, a decrease of 5% compared to $3.30 billion in Q4 2023[4] - Fourth Quarter 2024 net income was $155.5 million, or diluted earnings per share of $1.53, up 4% from $153.5 million and $1.47 in Q4 2023[3][7] - Full Year 2024 revenue totaled $12.09 billion, down 6% from the previous year, with operating income decreasing 16% to $831 million[7] - Total operating revenues for 2024 were $12,087,204, a decrease of 5.8% from $12,829,665 in 2023[31] - Operating income for 2024 was $831,225, down 16.3% from $993,196 in 2023, representing 6.9% of total revenues[31] Segment Performance - Intermodal (JBI) segment revenue decreased 2% year-over-year, despite a 5% increase in volume, primarily due to a 6% decrease in revenue per load[8] - Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS) segment revenue fell 15% to $308 million, with a 22% decline in overall segment volume[12] - Dedicated Contract Services (DCS) revenue decreased 5%, with a 4% decline in average trucks and a 1% decline in productivity[10] - Truckload (JBT) revenue decreased 7%, with a 2% decrease in revenue per load and flat load volume year-over-year[18] - Intermodal revenue for 2024 was $5,956,092, accounting for 49% of total revenue, compared to $6,207,461 (48%) in 2023[34] - Integrated Capacity Solutions segment reported a revenue decrease to $1,141,475 (9% of total) from $1,390,141 (11% of total) in 2023[34] Operational Metrics - Average revenue per load in the Intermodal segment decreased to $2,849 in 2024 from $3,035 in 2023[38] - The number of loads in the Dedicated segment decreased to 3,985,221 in 2024 from 4,274,677 in 2023[38] - The average effective trailing equipment usage in the Intermodal segment increased to 104,103 in 2024 from 99,374 in 2023[38] - The marketplace for J.B. Hunt 360 revenue decreased significantly to $395.8 million in 2024 from $765.6 million in 2023[38] Expenses and Liabilities - Operating expenses for 2024 totaled $11,255,979, representing 93.1% of total revenues, compared to 92.3% in 2023[31] - Total debt outstanding as of December 31, 2024, was $1.48 billion, down from $1.58 billion a year earlier[20] - Current liabilities decreased from $1,678,040,000 in 2023 to $1,452,501,000 in 2024, a reduction of 13.5%[41] - Long-term debt decreased from $1,326,107,000 in 2023 to $977,702,000 in 2024, a decrease of 26.3%[41] Shareholder Actions - The company repurchased approximately 489,000 shares for about $86 million in Q4 2024, with $882 million remaining under its share repurchase authorization[21] - The actual shares outstanding decreased from 103,220,000 in 2023 to 100,555,000 in 2024, a reduction of 2.6%[43] Asset Management - Total current assets increased from $1,733,724,000 in 2023 to $1,911,303,000 in 2024, representing an increase of 10.3%[41] - Net cash provided by operating activities decreased from $1,744,618,000 in 2023 to $1,483,156,000 in 2024, a decline of 15.0%[43] - Book value per share increased from $39.76 in 2023 to $39.92 in 2024, reflecting a growth of 0.4%[43] - Net capital expenditures significantly decreased from $1,600,215,000 in 2023 to $674,406,000 in 2024, a decline of 57.9%[43] - Total stockholders' equity increased from $4,014,505,000 in 2023 to $4,103,758,000 in 2024, an increase of 2.2%[41] - Accounts receivable increased from $1,224,166,000 in 2023 to $1,334,912,000 in 2024, a rise of 9.0%[41] - Cash and cash equivalents increased from $46,983,000 in 2023 to $53,344,000 in 2024, an increase of 13.0%[41]

Company Overview - J B Hunt Transport Services is a North American trucking and logistics company established in 1961 [1] - The company operates multiple business lines including truckload (TL), dedicated contract services, and Intermodal & Other final mile services [1] - J B Hunt Transport Services is one of the largest companies in its industry [1] Analyst Background - The analyst has over three years of experience in finance and consulting [1] - The analyst specializes in identifying value in North American public equities that lack significant market hype [1] - Professional experience includes corporate credit risk analysis, government entity consulting, and venture capital analysis in the med-tech space [1] Investment Approach - The analyst focuses on stocks that may need a "mulligan" or second chance, particularly those experiencing a sluggish quarter with downward market sentiment [1] - The analyst's investment strategy is not influenced by short-term market fluctuations [1]

Company Overview - J B Hunt Transport Services Inc (NASDAQ: JBHT) is one of the largest transportation and logistics companies in the US [1] - The company operates five main segments: Intermodal (JBI), Dedicated Contract Services (DCS), Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS), Final Mile Services (FMS), and Truckload (JBT) [1] - Intermodal is the largest segment of the company [1] Research Principles - The mission of Grassroots Trading is to provide objective, unbiased, and balanced research backed by solid data [1] - The focus is on small- to mid-cap companies, offering compelling investment opportunities often overlooked by investors [1] - The research also periodically identifies potential opportunities in large- and mega-cap companies to provide comprehensive coverage of the equity markets [1]

Wall Street analysts expect JB Hunt (JBHT) to post quarterly earnings of $1.64 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year increase of 11.6%. Revenues are expected to be $3.15 billion, down 4.6% from the year-ago quarter.The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has undergone a downward revision of 4.9% in the past 30 days, bringing it to its present level. This represents how the covering analysts, as a whole, have reassessed their initial estimates during this timeframe.Prior to a ...

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street anticipates a year-over-year increase in earnings for JB Hunt despite lower revenues, with a focus on how actual results will compare to estimates [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - JB Hunt is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.64 per share, reflecting an 11.6% increase year-over-year, while revenues are projected to be $3.15 billion, down 4.6% from the previous year [3]. Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 4.87% over the last 30 days, indicating a bearish sentiment among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [4][10]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model shows a negative reading of -2.29% for JB Hunt, suggesting a lower likelihood of beating the consensus EPS estimate [11]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, JB Hunt exceeded the expected earnings of $1.42 per share by delivering $1.49, resulting in a surprise of +4.93%. However, the company has only beaten consensus EPS estimates once in the last four quarters [12][13]. Overall Assessment - Given the negative Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 4, JB Hunt does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat, indicating potential challenges ahead [11][16].

Core Viewpoint - J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. is experiencing slower intermodal growth compared to the "Big Three" West Coast ports, but analysts maintain a positive outlook for future growth, particularly towards the end of 2024 and into 2025 [1][2][5]. Group 1: Company Performance - J.B. Hunt's intermodal growth was reported at 5% in Q3 2024, driven by a 7% increase in transcontinental traffic and double-digit growth in Southern California [8]. - Despite the growth, there was a 6% month-over-month decline in combined data, which is below the five-year average [9]. - The company's intermodal growth lags behind the average 27.5% increase seen by the "Big Three" ports [1]. Group 2: Market Conditions - The Big Three West Coast Ports (L.A., Long Beach, and Oakland) reported a 20% year-over-year increase in traffic for November 2024, surpassing the pre-pandemic five-year average of 2% [6]. - There is potential for J.B. Hunt's performance to improve if more ocean freight is diverted to the West Coast due to ongoing contract uncertainties on the East Coast [5]. - The shift towards domestic intermodal is showing positive signs, indicating potential for increased imports moving out of West Coast warehouses [5]. Group 3: Analyst Insights - Goldman Sachs analyst Jordan Alliger reiterated a Buy rating on J.B. Hunt, suggesting a favorable outlook for the company [3]. - The analyst predicts that growth for J.B. Hunt could accelerate towards the end of 2024 and into 2025, ahead of any potential tariffs [2].

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.’s (JBHT) bottom line is benefiting from its consistent shareholder-friendly initiatives, such as dividend payments and share repurchases. Higher interest expense, lower segmental revenues and high debt weigh act as headwinds.Factors Favoring JBHTJBHT’s efforts to reward its shareholders through dividend payments and share repurchases boost investor confidence and positively impact the company's bottom line. With the quarterly dividend of 43 cents per share (annualized $1.7 ...

The Zacks Transportation-Truck industry faces headwinds from inflation-induced elevated interest rates, weak freight rates, driver shortages and lingering supply-chain disruptions. Despite macroeconomic challenges causing uncertainty in demand, the industry demonstrates resilience, especially for companies prioritizing growth and operational efficiency. Among the companies in the industry that are likely to survive the challenges are J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) , Saia (SAIA) and Knight-Swift Transpo ...

Core Insights - J.B. Hunt's Q3 2024 earnings per share were $1.49, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.42 but down 17.2% year over year [2] - Total operating revenues reached $3.07 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.04 billion but declining 3% year over year [3] Financial Performance - Operating income decreased 7% year over year to $224.1 million, attributed to lower revenues across all segments except Intermodal [4] - Intermodal division revenues were $1.56 billion, remaining flat year over year, with a 7% increase in transcontinental network loads and a 3% increase in eastern network loads [5][6] - Dedicated Contract Services revenues fell 5% year over year to $846 million, driven by a decline in average trucks and productivity [6] - Integrated Capacity Solutions revenues decreased 7% year over year to $278 million, with a 10% drop in segmental volumes [8] - Truckload revenues fell 12% year over year to $173 million, with a 6% decline in load volume [10] - Final Mile Services revenues decreased 3% year over year to $218 million due to weak demand across various end markets [12] Liquidity and Share Buyback - At the end of Q3, J.B. Hunt had cash and cash equivalents of $120 million, up from $53.5 million in the previous quarter, and long-term debt decreased to $1.03 billion from $1.48 billion [14] - The company repurchased nearly 1.2 million shares for $200 million during the quarter, with approximately $967 million remaining under its share repurchase authorization [14] Market Outlook - There has been an upward trend in earnings estimates for J.B. Hunt, indicating a promising outlook [15][17] - The company holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [17]

Core Insights - Price action serves as a significant indicator for investors to gauge market direction, particularly following the U.S. presidential elections, where most asset classes experienced substantial gains [1][2] - The transportation sector, especially trucking stocks, has shown remarkable performance, indicating a potential uptrend in U.S. business activity [3][5] Company Insights - SAIA Inc. has surpassed the consensus price target of $492, prompting analysts to consider revising their stock targets due to strong demand and technical price action [4][5] - The 12-month stock price forecast for SAIA is $492, with a downside of 11.84%, categorized as a "Moderate Buy" based on 17 analyst ratings [5] - Institutional investment in SAIA has increased by 64.6%, raising net holdings to $109.6 million, alongside a 12.5% decline in short interest, suggesting bullish sentiment [7] - XPO Inc. is trading at a premium valuation of 48.7x, compared to the transportation sector's average of 14.8x, reflecting a perceived strong future [8][9] - The 12-month stock price forecast for XPO is $138.38, with a downside of 10.83%, also rated as a "Moderate Buy" based on 16 analyst ratings [9] - Institutional holdings in XPO have increased by 11.3%, with total holdings reaching $264.1 million, indicating strong bullish evidence following a 15.6% rally in a week [11] - J.B. Hunt Transport Services has seen a 14.1% increase in institutional exposure post-election, with net holdings now at $129.8 million [12] - The 12-month stock price forecast for J.B. Hunt is $187.56, with a downside of 4.89%, rated as a "Moderate Buy" based on 18 analyst ratings [12] - Daily trading volume for J.B. Hunt stock nearly doubled post-election, indicating renewed interest from institutional buyers [13]