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]

The fear of contraction and analysts' sentiment pressured J.B. Hunt JBHT stock to a long-term low earlier this year, but a shift signals the opposite for 2025. The Q3 results weren't robust—far from it—but they came in better than feared. They reaffirmed the longer-term outlook and the reliability of capital returns, spurring analysts to raise their stock price targets and revert to the long-term trend. The critical takeaway is that economic normalization following the COVID-19 pandemic and macroeconomic he ...

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Today JBHT J.B. Hunt Transport Services $180.15 +5.50 (+3.15%) 52-Week Range $153.12 $219.51 Dividend Yield 0.95% P/E Ratio 31.01 Price Target $186.78 Add to Watchlist The fear of contraction and analysts' sentiment pressured J.B. Hunt NASDAQ: JBHT stock to a long-term low earlier this year, but a shift signals the opposite for 2025. The Q3 results weren't robust—far from it—but they came in better than feared. They reaffirmed the longerterm outlook and the reliability of capita ...

Group 1 - The article promotes iREIT on Alpha as a source for in-depth research on various income alternatives including REITs, mREITs, Preferreds, BDCs, MLPs, and ETFs [1] - It highlights the positive feedback from users, with 438 testimonials, most rated 5 stars, indicating a strong reputation in the market [1] Group 2 - The analyst has disclosed a beneficial long position in shares of UNP, NSC, CP, and ODFL, indicating a vested interest in these companies [2] - The article emphasizes that the opinions expressed are personal and not influenced by compensation from any company mentioned [2]

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT) third-quarter 2024 earnings per share (EPS) of $1.49 outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.42 but declined 17.2% year over year. Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on ZacksEarnings Calendar. Total operating revenues of $3.07 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.04 billion but declined 3% year over year. The downfall was owing to a 5% and 6% decrease in gross revenue per load in Intermodal (JBI) and Truckload (JBT), respectively, a decl ...