Schneider National(SNDR) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Enterprise revenues excluding fuel surcharge were $1.26 billion, an 8% increase year over year [19] - Adjusted income from operations was $44 million, a 47% increase year over year [19] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the first quarter was $0.16 compared to $0.11 last year [20] - Enterprise adjusted operating ratio improved by 90 basis points compared to the first quarter of 2024 [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Truckload revenues excluding fuel surcharge were $614 million, a 14% increase year over year, primarily due to the acquisition of Cowen and higher dedicated and network revenue per truck per week [20] - Truckload operating income was $25 million, up nearly 70% year over year [21] - Intermodal revenues excluding fuel surcharge were $260 million, a 5% increase year over year, with operating income increasing by 97% to $14 million [22] - Logistics revenues excluding fuel surcharge were $332 million, a 2% increase year over year, with operating income up 50% to $8 million [23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The market remains highly competitive, with truck network achieving low to mid single-digit percentage increases [10] - Intermodal rates remained largely flat year over year, with increased volume allocations in certain geographies [11] - The dedicated retention rate remains in the low nineties, with expectations of elevated churn in the second and third quarters [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on optimizing capital allocation across strategic growth drivers, including dedicated truck, intermodal, and logistics [7] - A commitment to cost containment across all expense categories aims to enable reinvestment in growth initiatives [13] - The company aims to transition to a more variable cost model by expanding owner-operator relationships [15] - The strategic differentiators include unique dedicated brands and strong rail relationships, enhancing reliability for intermodal shippers [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the first quarter results were in line with expectations despite weather impacts and economic uncertainty [14] - There is a recognition of potential volume drop in intermodal due to tariff uncertainty, but new business wins are expected to offset this [35] - The company anticipates continued year-over-year improvement in results through 2025, despite moderating expectations for earnings improvement [26] Other Important Information - The company has established targets of more than $40 million in additional cost reductions across the enterprise [13] - The updated full-year 2025 guidance for adjusted earnings per share is $0.75 to $1, reflecting current trade policy and economic uncertainty [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are you seeing regarding the expected deceleration of imports? - Management indicated that while intermodal is tied to imports, new business wins are expected to offset anticipated declines in volume [35] Question: Can you characterize the new business wins within intermodal? - New business wins are expected to ramp up in the second quarter, with strengths noted in Mexico and other areas [42][44] Question: What is the outlook for dedicated growth? - Management believes there is still a long runway for dedicated growth, with many customers pivoting from private fleets to common carriers [106] Question: How much of the targeted $40 million cost reductions has been realized? - The company is looking at various cost categories, with the full-year annualized impact expected to be achievable [110] Question: How do you view the pricing environment? - Management expects pricing to moderate in the near term, with continued year-over-year improvements anticipated [62]