C.H. Robinson Q3 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Increase Year Over Year

Core Insights - C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW) reported mixed third-quarter 2025 results, with earnings exceeding estimates while revenues fell short [1] Financial Performance - Quarterly earnings per share (EPS) reached $1.40, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.29 and reflecting a 9.3% year-over-year improvement [2][11] - Total revenues amounted to $4.14 billion, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.29 billion and declining 10.9% year over year, primarily due to the divestiture of the Europe Surface Transportation business and lower pricing and volume in ocean services [2][11] - Adjusted gross profits decreased by 4% year over year to $706.1 million, influenced by lower gross profit per transaction and volume in ocean services, partially offset by higher profits in less than truckload (LTL) and customs services [4] Segment Performance - North American Surface Transportation generated total revenues of $2.96 billion, up 1.1% year over year, driven by higher volumes in truckload and LTL services, with adjusted gross profits growing 5.6% to $444.14 million [6] - Global Forwarding revenues fell 31.1% year over year to $786.34 million due to lower pricing and volume in ocean services, with adjusted gross profits declining 18.3% to $191.75 million [7] - Revenues from other sources decreased 32.4% year over year to $384.80 million [7] Operational Efficiency - Adjusted operating margin improved to 31.3%, an increase of 680 basis points from the previous year, while operating expenses decreased by 12.6% year over year to $485.2 million [5] Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - CHRW generated $275.4 million in cash from operations in Q3 2025, a significant increase from $108.1 million in the same quarter last year, attributed to a rise in net income and a decrease in cash used by changes in net operating working capital [12] - The company returned $189.6 million to shareholders, including $74.7 million in dividends and $114.9 million in share repurchases [13] Balance Sheet - At the end of Q3, CHRW had cash and cash equivalents of $136.83 million, down from $155.99 million in the previous quarter, while long-term debt increased to $1.18 billion from $922.31 million [10]