-- J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) reported better-than-expected first-quarter results as the transportation and logistics company recorded revenue growth in most of its business segments amid robust demand for its service offerings.
Net earnings increased to $1.49 per share for the March quarter from $1.17 the year before, the company said late Wednesday, topping the consensus on FactSet of $1.44. Revenue improved 5% to $3.06 billion, ahead of the Street's view for $2.96 billion.
The stock rose 2% in Thursday's most recent premarket activity.
"We experienced strong demand for our service offerings as a predominantly supply-driven freight recovery continued to gain steam, coupled with some modest improvements in demand," Chief Financial Officer Brad Delco said during an earnings call, according to a FactSet transcript. "This momentum was partially offset by the impact of weather, which negatively impacted incremental margins in the quarter."
The company saw fuel surcharge programs protect its operations from volatility in fuel prices, Delco said on the call. "Fuel is generally a pass-through expense and typically has a small impact on profit dollars quarter-to-quarter," the CFO added.
Energy prices have soared in the aftermath of the US-Israel war with Iran that began at the end of February, curtailing shipments through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
Sales in J.B. Hunt's intermodal business increased 2% to $1.5 billion boosted by a 3% gain in load volume. "Intermodal is a very fuel efficient solution for our customers," Delco told analysts. "So higher fuel prices enhance the value proposition of our leading intermodal franchise."
Dedicated contract services sales inclined 2% to $840.6 million, driven by a 2% rise in productivity, or gross revenue per truck per week. The integrated capacity solutions segment saw revenue jump 20% to $322.7 million as volume climbed 10% on a yearly basis, while truckload sales advanced 23% to $205.4 million.
Revenue in the final mile services segment declined 6% due to the impact of previously disclosed lost business, as well as demand stabilization across many of the company's end markets, but at lower levels than the prior-year period, J.B. Hunt said.
"We are executing extremely well across the organization on operational excellence in service, safety and lowering our cost to serve," according to Delco. "Without any meaningful tailwinds from price driven by this recent market inflection, we have already put ourselves on a path to restoring our margins."