Core Viewpoint - Landstar System, Inc. reported disappointing first-quarter 2025 earnings, with EPS of 85 cents falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 92 cents and declining 35.6% year over year [1] Financial Performance - Revenues for the quarter reached $1.15 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.13 billion but down 1.5% year over year [2] - Operating income decreased by 34.2% to $39.4 million compared to the prior-year quarter [3] - Total costs and expenses slightly increased by 0.1% to $1.12 billion [3] Segment Performance - Truck transportation segment revenues, which accounted for 89.8% of total revenues, were $1.05 billion, down 1.8% year over year but above expectations of $1.01 billion [4] - Rail intermodal revenues fell 22.9% to $17.48 million, below expectations of $24.1 million [4] - Ocean and air-cargo carrier segment revenues improved by 21.4% year over year to $65.63 million, surpassing expectations of $58.7 million [5] - Other revenues decreased by 22.4% to $19.66 million, falling short of expectations of $25.7 million [5] Liquidity and Shareholder Returns - At the end of Q1 2025, Landstar had cash and cash equivalents of $417.42 million, down from $515.01 million in the prior quarter [6] - Long-term debt decreased to $61.9 million from $69.1 million in the previous quarter [6] - During the quarter, Landstar repurchased nearly 386,000 shares for $60.9 million and paid $83.3 million in cash dividends [7] - The board announced an 11% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 40 cents per share, payable on June 24, 2025 [8]

Core Insights - Landstar System (LSTR) reported revenue of $1.15 billion for Q1 2025, a year-over-year decline of 1.6%, with EPS of $0.85 compared to $1.32 a year ago, indicating a decrease in profitability [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.13 billion by 1.95%, while the EPS fell short of the consensus estimate of $0.92 by 7.61% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Revenue per load for Ocean and air cargo carriers was $7,197, surpassing the average estimate of $6,579.53 [4] - Revenue per load for Rail Intermodal was $2,843, below the average estimate of $3,170.29 [4] - Total number of loads was 500,170, exceeding the average estimate of 484,455 [4] - Truck Transportation loads totaled 484,900, compared to the average estimate of 468,390 [4] - Investment income was reported at $3.60 million, above the average estimate of $2.88 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.5% [4] Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from Other sources was $19.66 million, below the average estimate of $23.67 million, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 22.4% [4] - Revenue from Rail Intermodal was $17.49 million, compared to the average estimate of $21.94 million, marking a year-over-year decrease of 23% [4] - Truck Transportation revenue was $1.05 billion, slightly above the average estimate of $1.02 billion, with a year-over-year decline of 1.8% [4] - Revenue from Ocean and air cargo carriers was $65.64 million, exceeding the average estimate of $60.40 million, with a year-over-year increase of 21.4% [4] - Revenue from Other Truck Transportation was $92.08 million, surpassing the average estimate of $74.63 million, indicating a year-over-year increase of 28% [4] - Revenue from Less-than-truckload services was $22.44 million, below the average estimate of $25.58 million, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 12.4% [4] Stock Performance - Landstar shares have returned +1.8% over the past month, underperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +9.1% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell), suggesting potential underperformance in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - Landstar System (LSTR) reported quarterly earnings of $0.85 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.92 per share, and down from $1.32 per share a year ago, indicating a negative earnings surprise of -7.61% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $1.15 billion for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.95%, but down from $1.17 billion year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Landstar has exceeded consensus EPS estimates only once [2] Stock Performance - Landstar shares have declined approximately 16.3% since the beginning of the year, compared to a -0.6% decline in the S&P 500 [3] - The current Zacks Rank for Landstar is 5 (Strong Sell), indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.35 on revenues of $1.23 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $5.32 on revenues of $4.95 billion [7] - The trend for estimate revisions ahead of the earnings release has been unfavorable [6] Industry Context - The Transportation - Truck industry, to which Landstar belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 2% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a challenging environment [8]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The actual number of loads hauled via truck in Q1 2025 was 1.2% below Q1 2024, slightly above the high end of guidance range [12] - Actual revenue per truckload in Q1 2025 was 0.6% below the prior year quarter, comfortably within the lower half of the guidance range [12] - Earnings per share (EPS) came in below the low end of guidance primarily due to a $4.8 million pretax charge related to a supply chain fraud matter and elevated insurance and claims costs [12][13] - Gross profit was $98.3 million in Q1 2025 compared to $113.9 million in Q1 2024, with a gross profit margin of 8.5% [28] - Variable contribution margin was 14% of revenue in Q1 2025 compared to 14.4% in the same period last year [29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Heavy haul revenue increased by approximately $113 million in Q1 2025, a 6% increase year-over-year, driven by a 3% increase in heavy haul revenue per load and volume [10][24] - Non-truck transportation service revenue in Q1 2025 was 8% or $6 million above Q1 2024, primarily due to a 14% increase in ocean revenue per shipment [24] - Transportation Logistics segment revenue was down 1% year-over-year on a 1% decrease in loadings, while revenue per load was approximately flat compared to Q1 2024 [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S.-Mexico cross-border revenue was approximately 11% of consolidated revenue during the 2024 fiscal year, while U.S.-Canada cross-border revenue was approximately 4% [8] - The freight environment in Q1 2025 was characterized by soft demand, weather impacts, and readily available truck capacity [11] - The number of loads hauled via truck in April 2025 was approximately 2% below April 2024, while revenue per load in April was approximately 1% above April 2024 [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to focus on accelerating its business model and executing on strategic growth initiatives despite macroeconomic challenges [9] - Investments in technology solutions and fleet refreshing are ongoing to benefit the network of independent business owners [15] - The company is committed to continuous improvement in safety, service, and support for customers, agents, and carriers [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the freight transportation backdrop is highly fluid amid political and macroeconomic uncertainty, impacting trade and tariffs [6][34] - The company expects below-normal sequential movements in loads from April to May, with specific weaknesses noted in the automotive sector due to tariff impacts [85] - Management indicated that while the supply chain fraud matter has been addressed, the company does not expect significant additional charges in Q2 2025 [36] Other Important Information - The company deployed approximately $61 million of capital toward buybacks and repurchased approximately 386,000 shares during Q1 2025 [15] - The effective income tax rate was 24.7% in Q1 2025 compared to 23.5% in Q1 2024 [32] - The company ended the quarter with cash and short-term investments of $473 million [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the insurance developments and expected future trends? - Management indicated that the year-over-year difference in prior year development was significant, with about $11 million unfavorable development in Q1 2025, primarily from cargo programs [41][42] - The normal run rate for insurance and claims is just below 5% of BCO revenue, but the current environment suggests this may be low [48] Question: What are the trends in heavy haul and which end markets are performing well? - Heavy haul has been a bright spot, with growth across machinery, electrical, building products, and the energy industry [58] Question: How will the new English proficiency requirements for CDL operators impact the driver supply market? - Management does not expect an impact on the BCO fleet due to high qualification standards, but it may affect overall industry capacity positively [61] Question: What is the current state of capacity in the market? - Management noted an uptick in third-party capacity but expects this to decrease as they become more selective with carriers [72] Question: Can you provide insights on the near-term outlook and areas of strength or weakness? - Management highlighted that automotive and U.S.-Mexico cross-border business were weak, while heavy haul and platform business showed strength [87]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The first quarter of 2025 saw earnings per share (EPS) come in below the low end of guidance due to a $4.8 million pretax charge related to a supply chain fraud matter and elevated insurance and claims costs [12][13][30] - Gross profit decreased to $98.3 million from $113.9 million year-over-year, with a gross profit margin of 8.5% compared to 9.7% in the previous year [28] - Variable contribution margin was 14% of revenue in the first quarter of 2025, down from 14.4% in the same period last year [29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Heavy haul revenue increased by 6% year-over-year, driven by a 3% increase in both heavy haul revenue per load and heavy haul volume [10][25] - Overall truck revenue per load decreased by 0.6% year-over-year, primarily due to a 2.1% decrease in revenue per load on loads hauled by truck brokerage carriers [21] - Non-truck transportation service revenue was up 8% or $6 million compared to the first quarter of 2024, mainly due to a 14% increase in ocean revenue per shipment [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S.-Mexico cross-border revenue accounted for approximately 11% of consolidated revenue during the 2024 fiscal year, while U.S.-Canada cross-border revenue was about 4% [7] - The number of loads hauled via truck in April 2025 was approximately 2% below April 2024, while revenue per load was about 1% above April 2024 [34] - The overall revenue performance in the first quarter was within the top half of the guidance range, despite a relatively soft demand environment [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on accelerating its business model and executing strategic growth initiatives amidst macroeconomic challenges [9] - Investments in technology solutions and fleet refreshment are ongoing to support independent business owners [16] - The company aims to improve safety performance, with a reported accident frequency rate of 0.69 DOT reportable accidents per million miles, below the national average [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted ongoing challenges in the freight environment, including soft demand and inflation impacting truckload freight generation [11] - The company is not providing formal guidance for the second quarter but is monitoring business activity closely [33] - Management expressed optimism about the heavy haul business and other strategic areas, despite challenges in the automotive sector due to tariffs [86] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately $61 million worth of shares during the first quarter and increased its quarterly dividend by 11% [16] - The balance sheet remains strong, with cash and short-term investments totaling $473 million at the end of the quarter [32] - The company identified a supply chain fraud issue that does not involve its core North American truckload services, with investigations ongoing [12][13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the insurance developments and their impact? - Management indicated that the year-over-year difference in prior year claims development was significant, with about $7 million of the $11 million unfavorable development coming from cargo programs [38][40] - The normal run rate for insurance and claims is just below 5% of BCO revenue, but the current environment suggests this may be low [47] Question: What are the trends in heavy haul and end markets? - Heavy haul has been a bright spot, with growth across various sectors including machinery, electrical, and energy [56][58] Question: How will the new English proficiency requirements for CDL operators impact driver supply? - Management does not expect a significant impact on their BCO fleet due to high qualification standards, but it may affect overall industry capacity positively [60][62] Question: What is the outlook for capacity and the broader industry landscape? - Management noted an uptick in third-party capacity but expects to become more selective with carriers, which may lead to a decrease in capacity in the coming quarters [70][72]

Earnings Release Schedule - Landstar System, Inc. announced the rescheduling of its Q1 2025 earnings release and conference call to May 13, 2025, from the previously scheduled date of April 29, 2025[7]. - The company expects to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for Q1 2025 no later than May 13, 2025, following a five-calendar day extension[7]. Fraud and Internal Control - A supply chain fraud was identified during the last week of Q1 2025, which does not involve Landstar's core North American truckload services[7]. - The ongoing evaluation of accounting and internal control matters is related to the previously referenced fraud[7]. Press Release - The press release detailing these updates was issued on April 25, 2025[5].

Financial Performance - Revenue decreased by 1.6% from $1,171.0 million in 1Q 2024 to $1,152.5 million in 1Q 2025 [15] - Operating income decreased by 34.3% from $60.0 million in 1Q 2024 to $39.4 million in 1Q 2025 [15] - Earnings per share decreased by 35.6% from $1.32 in 1Q 2024 to $0.85 in 1Q 2025 [15] - Gross profit decreased from $113.9 million in 1Q 2024 to $98.3 million in 1Q 2025, with gross profit margin decreasing from 9.7% to 8.5% [40] - Variable contribution decreased from $168.2 million in 1Q 2024 to $161.3 million in 1Q 2025, with variable contribution margin decreasing from 14.4% to 14.0% [40] Operational Metrics - Truck revenue was $1.05 billion [23] - Truck loadings were 485,000 [23] - Truck revenue per load was $2,165 [23] - The company has approximately 1,030 agents, over 23,000 customers, and access to over 88,000 capacity providers [21] - Available truck capacity providers totaled 88,469 as of March 29, 2025 [26] Capital Allocation - Net cash was $379.5 million as of March 29, 2025, compared to $465.2 million as of March 30, 2024 [47] - Share repurchases amounted to $60.4 million in 1Q 2025 [48] - Dividends paid were $83.3 million in 1Q 2025 [48]

Core Insights - Landstar System, Inc. reported a basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.85 for Q1 2025, down from $1.32 in Q1 2024, with total revenue of $1.153 billion compared to $1.171 billion in the previous year [1][3][14] - The company experienced a $4.8 million pre-tax charge related to a supply chain fraud incident, impacting EPS by $0.10 [1][5] - Despite challenges, the number of loads hauled via truck in Q1 2025 exceeded the previous quarter for the first time in fifteen years, indicating a positive trend in operational performance [1][4] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $1,153 million, a decrease of 1.5% from $1,171 million in Q1 2024 [3][14] - Gross profit for Q1 2025 was $98 million, down from $114 million in Q1 2024, while variable contribution decreased from $168 million to $161 million [6][14] - Operating income fell to $39.4 million in Q1 2025 from $60 million in Q1 2024 [14] Operational Highlights - Truck transportation revenue accounted for 91% of total revenue in Q1 2025, totaling $1,050 million, compared to $1,069 million in Q1 2024 [3][18] - The number of loads hauled via truck decreased by 1.2% year-over-year, which was better than the company's guidance range [4] - Truck revenue per load decreased by 0.6% compared to the previous year [4] Capital Return to Shareholders - In Q1 2025, Landstar repurchased approximately 386,000 shares at a cost of $60.9 million and paid $83.3 million in cash dividends [2] - The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, an increase of 11% from the previous quarter [2] Balance Sheet Strength - As of March 29, 2025, Landstar had cash and short-term investments totaling approximately $473 million [7] - The trailing twelve-month return on average shareholders' equity was 18%, and return on invested capital was 17% [7]

Group 1 - Landstar System, Inc. will release its 2025 first quarter results before the market opens on May 13, 2025 [1] - A quarterly conference call with analysts and investors will be held at 8:30 a.m. ET on the same day to discuss the results [1] - The conference call will be accessible via webcast and will also have a telephone replay option available for 48 hours [1] Group 2 - Landstar is a technology-enabled, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions [2] - The company delivers specialized transportation services to a diverse range of customers through a network of agents and third-party capacity providers [2] - Landstar is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and its common stock trades on NASDAQ under the symbol LSTR [2]

Core Viewpoint - Landstar System (LSTR) is expected to report a significant decline in quarterly earnings and revenues, with analysts predicting earnings of $0.92 per share, a 30.3% decrease year-over-year, and revenues of $1.13 billion, reflecting a 3.5% decrease compared to the previous year [1][5]. Earnings Estimates - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 2.9% over the last 30 days, indicating a collective reevaluation by analysts [2]. - Changes in earnings estimates are crucial for predicting investor reactions, as empirical studies show a strong correlation between earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock performance [3]. Revenue and Income Projections - Analysts project 'Revenue' to reach $1.13 billion, indicating a year-over-year change of -3.6% [5]. - 'Investment income' is estimated at $2.88 million, suggesting a decline of 15.6% year-over-year [5][6]. Load Metrics - The estimated 'Number of loads - Ocean and air cargo carriers' is 8,899, up from 8,720 in the same quarter last year [6]. - For 'Truck Transportation', the estimated number of loads is 468,390, down from 490,720 year-over-year [7]. - The total estimated number of loads is 484,455, compared to 506,590 in the previous year [7]. Revenue per Load - Analysts expect 'Revenue per load - Ocean and air cargo carriers' to be $6,579.53, an increase from $6,201 year-over-year [8][9]. - 'Revenue per load - Rail Intermodal' is projected at $3,170.29, slightly down from $3,174 [8]. - For 'Truck Transportation', the expected revenue per load is $2,176.89, marginally lower than $2,178 from the previous year [8]. Stock Performance - Over the past month, Landstar shares have decreased by 6.2%, contrasting with the S&P 500 composite's increase of 11.3% [10].