By Connor Hart

J.B. Hunt Transport Services posted a higher profit in the fourth quarter, though revenue fell as lower revenue per load more than offset improvements in volume.

The trucking and logistics company reported a profit of $155.5 million, a slight increase from the $153.5 million it notched in the same quarter a year earlier.

Quarterly earnings per share rose to $1.53 from $1.47 last year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting $1.61 a share.

Revenue fell 5% to $3.15 billion, just beating the $3.13 billion that Wall Street analysts were expecting, according to FactSet.

The company said its top-line decline was primarily due to lower revenue per load, excluding fuel surcharge revenue, across its intermodal and truckload segments. Additionally, its dedicated contract services unit posted a 4% decline in average trucks, and load volume in its integrated capacity solutions segment dropped 22%.

The Lowell, Ark., carrier's intermodal business -- the combined truck-rail business that provides nearly half of its overall revenue -- posted revenue of $1.6 billion, down 2% from a year earlier. Volumes increased 5% from last year, but this gain was offset by changes in mix of freight, customer rates and fuel surcharge revenue, which caused revenue per load to fall 6%, the company said.

Sales across its dedicated contract services unit fell 5% to $839 million, dragged down by a 4% decline in average trucks combined with a 1% decline in productivity.

J.B. Hunt's integrated capacity solutions segment notched sales of $308 million, down 15%, while revenue from its truckload segment fell 7%, to $182 million. Final mile services revenue declined 6% to $228 million.

Write to Connor Hart at connor.hart@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 16, 2025 16:33 ET (21:33 GMT)

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