Werner Enterprises WERN is facing significant freight market challenges. Escalating operating expenses are adversely affecting the company’s bottom line, making it an unattractive choice for investors’ portfolios.

Let’s delve deeper.

WERN: Key Risks to Watch

Southward Earnings Estimate Revision:The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has moved 25.53% south in the past 60 days. For the next year, the consensus mark for earnings has been revised 16% downward in the same time frame. The unfavorable estimate revisions indicate brokers’ lack of confidence in the stock.

Dim Price Performance:  The company’s price trend reveals that its shares have declined 6.6% over the past year against the industry’s 6.5% rise.

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Unimpressive Earnings Surprise History: WERN has a discouraging earnings surprise history, having missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average miss is 29.8%.

Weak Zacks Rank: WERN currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Bearish Industry Rank: The industry to which WERN belongs currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 232 (out of 250). Such an unfavorable rank places it in the bottom 7% of Zacks industries.Studies show that 50% of a stock price movement is directly related to the performance of the industry group it belongs to.

A mediocre stock within a strong group is likely to outclass a robust stock in a weak industry. Reckoning the industry’s performance becomes imperative.

Headwinds: High operating expenses are hurting WERN’s bottom line, challenging its financial stability. The surge in operating expenses was caused by increased labor and fuel costs. In the third quarter of 2024, labor costs, comprising salaries and benefits, accounting for 34.6% of the total operating expenses, amounted to $258.3 million. Fuel costs totaled $64.8 million.

Moreover, freight conditions remained a challenge throughout the quarter, with pressures on supply chains continuing to affect the industry. Conditions started to tighten toward the end of the quarter due to disruptions caused by hurricanes, which exacerbated supply-chain delays and reduced the availability of shipping capacity, impacting freight rates and logistics.

Stocks to Consider

Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies WAB and SkyWest SKYW.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.  WAB has an expected earnings growth rate of 2.01% for the current year.

The company has an impressive earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, delivering an average beat of 9.46%. Shares of WAB have risen 54% in the past year.

SkyWest currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has an expected earnings growth rate of 4.07% for the current year.

The company has an encouraging track record with respect to the earnings surprise, having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average beat is 79.12%. Shares of SKYW have climbed 109.7% in the past year.

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