Werner Enterprises(WERN) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues decreased by 7% year-over-year, with adjusted EPS at negative $0.12, down $0.25 from the previous year [5][22] - Adjusted operating margin was negative 0.3%, and adjusted TTS operating margin was 0.4% net of fuel surcharges [5][22] - Adjusted operating loss was $1.8 million, with TTS total revenue at $502 million, down 9% [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Dedicated revenue net of fuel was $279 million, down 7%, representing 64% of TTS trucking revenues [24] - One Way Truckload revenue net of fuel was $154 million, a decrease of 9%, with revenue per truck per week down 3.2% [26] - Logistics revenue was $196 million, down 3% year-over-year, with intermodal revenues increasing by 14% [28] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Approximately 10% of total revenues are from cross-border Mexico shipments, with stable volumes across discount retail customers [18][20] - The company noted that long-haul truckload employment is below prior peak levels, which could lead to favorable conditions for larger carriers [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three priorities: driving growth in core business, operational excellence, and capital efficiency [12][14] - A commitment to cost containment has led to an increase in the 2025 cost savings target from $25 million to $40 million [30] - The company plans to maintain strong operating cash flow and is well-positioned for share repurchase and M&A opportunities [16][34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged that Q1 results did not meet expectations due to elevated insurance costs, extreme weather, and IT spending [4][5] - Despite challenges, management expressed confidence in long-term growth, particularly in the Dedicated segment and technology transformation [8][21] - The company is preparing for potential market corrections and believes that ongoing capacity attrition could benefit larger carriers [21][67] Other Important Information - The company closed a new $300 million credit facility, increasing liquidity to $777 million, up nearly 70% from year-end [31][32] - The average age of the truck and trailer fleet was 2.2 and 5.4 years, respectively, providing flexibility in equipment purchases [37] Q&A Session All Questions and Answers Question: Can you walk us through dedicated margins and their long-term impacts? - Management indicated that dedicated margins typically outperform one-way margins and recent wins are expected to contribute positively to operating margins [43][45] Question: What causes the insurance concerns to mitigate? - Management emphasized the need for tort reform and highlighted ongoing efforts to reduce preventable accident rates [58][60] Question: How is the market correcting regarding supply and demand? - Management noted that while demand indicators were strong, tariff uncertainty and network disruptions have created challenges, but they expect capacity attrition to accelerate [66][67] Question: What percentage of volume originates overseas? - Approximately 10% of one-way volume is exposed to the West Coast, and retail customers have a 10% to 30% exposure rate to China [75][80] Question: How are acquisitions performing? - Management expressed confidence in customer receptivity and growth within acquired businesses, but acknowledged the need for more immediate actions to leverage these assets [82][84]