Heartland Express(HTLD) - 2020 Q3 - Quarterly Report

Financial Performance - For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the company reported operating revenues of $489.5 million, a 13.9% increase from $429.6 million in the same period of 2019[70]. - The net income for the same period was $53.1 million, resulting in a basic net income per share of $0.65, compared to $60.2 million and $0.73 per share in 2019[70]. - Operating revenue increased by $59.9 million (13.9%), reaching $489.5 million compared to $429.6 million in the same period of 2019[91]. - Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $53.1 million, a decrease of 11.7% from $60.2 million in the same period of 2019[90]. - Operating revenue increased by $14.4 million (9.7%), reaching $162.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $147.9 million in the same period of 2019[76]. - Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was $20.7 million, a slight increase of 1.0% from $20.5 million in the same period of 2019[75]. Operating Efficiency - The operating ratio for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, was 85.8%, an increase from 82.2% in the same period of 2019[70]. - The operating ratio for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was 83.2%, compared to 81.9% in the prior year[75]. Cash Flow and Liquidity - Cash flow from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, was $133.0 million, representing 27.2% of operating revenues, compared to $109.4 million and 25.5% in 2019[70]. - The company ended the third quarter of 2020 with cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash of $99.2 million, with cash and cash equivalents (excluding restricted cash) at $81.9 million[70]. - Cash used in investing activities decreased by $4.0 million to $112.3 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $116.3 million in 2019[108]. - Cash used in financing activities decreased by $27.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, primarily due to $39.9 million less repayments on acquired debt[109]. - The company had $81.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and no outstanding debt as of September 30, 2020, with $88.5 million available borrowing capacity[103]. Expenses and Costs - Salaries, wages, and benefits increased by $6.3 million (10.3%), totaling $67.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, primarily due to the addition of Millis Transfer drivers[79]. - Fuel expenses decreased by $4.0 million (15.8%), totaling $21.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, attributed to lower average diesel prices[81]. - Depreciation and amortization increased by $11.0 million (15.6%), totaling $81.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, mainly due to the addition of the Millis Transfer fleet[96]. - Operating taxes and licenses expense increased by $0.4 million (3.9%) to $11.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $10.8 million in 2019[98]. - Insurance and claims expense rose by $4.0 million (33.3%) to $16.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, up from $12.0 million in 2019[99]. - Other operating expenses increased by $3.2 million (19.8%) to $19.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $16.4 million in 2019[100]. - Gains on the disposal of property and equipment decreased by $15.3 million (64.0%) to $8.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, down from $24.0 million in 2019[101]. Market Conditions and Challenges - Average DOE diesel fuel prices per gallon were $2.43 for the three months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $3.02 in 2019[68]. - The company continues to face challenges in attracting and retaining qualified drivers, exacerbated by COVID-19 safety measures[66]. - A 10% increase in tire prices would raise tire purchase expenses by $1.3 million, leading to a corresponding decrease in income before income taxes[117]. - The company expects to spend approximately $6 to $9 million in net capital expenditures during the remainder of 2020[108].