ArcBest Announces Third Quarter 2024 Results

Continued focus on cost control initiatives to mitigate headwinds from challenging freight environment
Productivity gains from technology, training, and network design
Service improvements, including Mastio recognizing ABF for exceeding the industry benchmark on service

FORT SMITH, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ArcBest^® (Nasdaq: ARCB), a leader in supply chain logistics, today reported third quarter 2024 revenue of $1.06 billion, compared to $1.13 billion in third quarter 2023. Net income was $100.3 million, or $4.23 per diluted share, including a $69.1 million after-tax benefit from the reduction in the fair value of contingent consideration related to a 2021 acquisition, compared to $34.9 million, or $1.42 per diluted share in the prior year. On a non-GAAP basis, third quarter 2024 net income was $38.8 million, or $1.64 per diluted share, compared to $56.7 million, or $2.31 per diluted share in the prior year.

“Over the past year, we have made substantial strides in controlling costs, improving productivity, and enhancing our service quality. These efforts contributed to ABF once again being recognized by Mastio for exceeding the industry benchmark for service,” said Judy R. McReynolds, ArcBest Chairman and CEO. “This achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence and our strategic investments in technology, training, and network design. Thank you to our customers for this recognition and to our team for their hard work and dedication.”

A 2021 truckload brokerage acquisition included a potential additional payout based on an earnout provision contingent on meeting specific targets through 2025. Due to the prolonged soft truckload market, no payments were made in 2023, and none are expected in 2024. With industry forecasts now suggesting a market recovery later in 2025, the likelihood of an earnout payment has been reduced. Consequently, in the third quarter, the estimated contingent consideration liability was reduced by $91.9 million pre-tax, or $69.1 million after-tax. This benefit is recorded as a reduction to expense in the Company’s GAAP results but has been excluded from non-GAAP results to better represent normal operations.

Results of Operations Comparisons

Asset-Based

Third Quarter 2024 Versus Third Quarter 2023

Revenue of $709.7 million compared to $741.2 million, a per-day decrease of 5.8 percent
Total tonnage per day decrease of 11.3 percent
Total shipments per day decrease of 0.7 percent
Total billed revenue per hundredweight increase of 7.4 percent
Operating income of $64.0 million and an operating ratio of 91.0 percent, compared to $74.8 million and an operating ratio of 89.9 percent
On a non-GAAP basis, operating income of $64.0 million and an operating ratio of 91.0 percent, compared to $82.8 million and an operating ratio of 88.8 percent

On a non-GAAP basis, the Asset-Based segment generated $18.8 million less operating income than third quarter 2023. Third quarter tonnage declines were driven by a 10.7 percent decrease in weight per shipment, while daily shipments were down only slightly. Prolonged manufacturing sector weakness continues to negatively impact weight per shipment metrics. Productivity improvements of 5.7 percent and other cost initiatives helped mitigate the impact of the softer market environment, higher insurance costs, and higher labor cost increases related to an annual union contract rate increase, which went into effect during the third quarter of 2024.

Pricing momentum continued in the quarter, driven by a 5.9 percent general rate increase put in place on September 9, 2024, and contract renewal increases of 4.6 percent. Overall, LTL industry pricing remains rational.

Compared sequentially to the second quarter of 2024, third quarter 2024 revenue per day was flat, shipments per day improved by 1.4 percent, and billed revenue per hundredweight was 1.3 percent higher. However, weight per shipment deteriorated 3.2 percent and tonnage per day decreased 1.8 percent. Lower tonnage combined with higher labor and insurance costs resulted in the operating ratio deterioration of 120 basis points sequentially, which was below the average sequential quarterly changes achieved in recent years.

Asset-Light

Third Quarter 2024 Versus Third Quarter 2023

Revenue of $385.3 million compared to $419.3 million, a per-day decrease of 9.6 percent
Operating income of $84.8 million, including the $91.9 million pre-tax reduction in the fair value of contingent consideration related to an earnout, compared to operating loss of $3.7 million
On a non‑GAAP basis, operating loss of $3.9 million in both periods
Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”), as defined in the attached non-GAAP reconciliation tables, of negative $2.1 million compared to negative $2.0 million

Compared to the third quarter of 2023, Asset-Light revenues were impacted by lower revenue per shipment associated with the soft rate environment and a higher mix of managed transportation business, which has smaller shipment sizes and lower revenue per shipment metrics. Shipments per day were slightly lower by 0.7 percent. Non-GAAP operating results were comparable to the third quarter prior year. The segment continues to benefit from productivity initiatives, as shipments per employee per day improved 19.5 percent, on a year-over-year basis, but the soft freight environment and excess truckload capacity continues to impact results.

Compared sequentially to second quarter 2024, third quarter 2024 shipments per day were flat, yet daily revenue was down by 1.9 percent as revenue per shipment decreased 2.3 percent. Shipments per employee per day, improved by 3.3 percent, and total operating costs were managed lower. The $1.5 million sequential increase in non-GAAP operating loss was due primarily to the current truckload brokerage pricing environment.

Conference Call

ArcBest will host a conference call with company executives to discuss the quarterly results. The call will be today, Friday, November 1, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. EDT (8:30 a.m. CDT). Interested parties are invited to listen by calling (800) 715‑9871 or by joining the webcast which can be found on ArcBest’s website at arcb.com. Slides to accompany this call are included in Exhibit 99.3 of the Form 8-K filed on November 1, 2024, will be posted and available to download on the company’s website prior to the scheduled conference time, and will be included in the webcast. Following the call, a recorded playback will be available through the end of the day on November 15, 2024. To listen to the playback, dial (800) 770-2030. The conference call ID for the live conference call and the playback is 2815802. The conference call and playback can also be accessed through November 15, 2024 on ArcBest’s website at arcb.com.

About ArcBest

ArcBest^® (Nasdaq: ARCB) is a multibillion-dollar integrated logistics company that helps keep the global supply chain moving. Founded in 1923 and now with 15,000 employees across 250 campuses and service centers, the company is a logistics powerhouse, using its technology, expertise and scale to connect shippers with the solutions they need — from ground, air and ocean transportation to fully managed supply chains. ArcBest has a long history of innovation that is enriched by deep customer relationships. With a commitment to helping customers navigate supply chain challenges now and in the future, the company is developing ground-breaking technology like Vaux™, one of the TIME Best Inventions of 2023. For more information, visit arcb.com.

The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, statements regarding (i) our expectations about our intrinsic value or our prospects for growth and value creation and (ii) our financial outlook, position, strategies, goals, and expectations. Terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “foresee,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “scheduled,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions and the negatives of such terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions, and expectations based on currently available information, are not guarantees of future performance, and involve certain risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control). Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, we cannot provide assurance that our expectations will prove to be correct. Actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in these statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to: the effects of a widespread outbreak of an illness or disease or any other public health crisis, as well as regulatory measures implemented in response to such events; external events which may adversely affect us or the third parties who provide services for us, for which our business continuity plans may not adequately prepare us, including, but not limited to, acts of war or terrorism, or military conflicts; data privacy breaches, cybersecurity incidents, and/or failures of our information systems, including disruptions or failures of services essential to our operations or upon which our information technology platforms rely; interruption or failure of third-party software or information technology systems or licenses; untimely or ineffective development and implementation of, or failure to realize the potential benefits associated with, new or enhanced technology or processes, including our customer pilot offering of Vaux; the loss or reduction of business from large customers or an overall reduction in our customer base; the timing and performance of growth initiatives and the ability to manage our cost structure; the cost, integration, and performance of any recent or future acquisitions and the inability to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition within the expected time period or at all; unsolicited takeover proposals, proxy contests, and other proposals/actions by activist investors; maintaining our corporate reputation and intellectual property rights; nationwide or global disruption in the supply chain resulting in increased volatility in freight volumes; competitive initiatives and pricing pressures; increased prices for and decreased availability of equipment, including new revenue equipment, decreases in value of used revenue equipment, and higher costs of equipment-related operating expenses such as maintenance, fuel, and related taxes; availability of fuel, the effect of volatility in fuel prices and the associated changes in fuel surcharges on securing increases in base freight rates, and the inability to collect fuel surcharges; relationships with employees, including unions, and our ability to attract, retain, and upskill employees; unfavorable terms of, or the inability to reach agreement on, future collective bargaining agreements or a workforce stoppage by our employees covered under ABF Freight’s collective bargaining agreement; union employee wages and benefits, including changes in required contributions to multiemployer plans; availability and cost of reliable third-party services; our ability to secure independent owner-operators and/or operational or regulatory issues related to our use of their services; litigation or claims asserted against us; governmental regulations; environmental laws and regulations, including emissions-control regulations; default on covenants of financing arrangements and the availability and terms of future financing arrangements; our ability to generate sufficient cash from operations to support significant ongoing capital expenditure requirements and other business initiatives; self-insurance claims, insurance premium costs, and loss of our ability to self-insure; potential impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill and intangible assets; general economic conditions and related shifts in market demand that impact the performance and needs of industries we serve and/or limit our customers’ access to adequate financial resources; increasing costs due to inflation and higher interest rates; seasonal fluctuations, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, and climate change; and other financial, operational, and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in ArcBest Corporation’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8K.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Financial Data and Operating Statistics

The following tables show financial data and operating statistics on ArcBest^® and its reportable segments.

ARCBEST CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30						September 30
	2024			2023			2024			2023
	(Unaudited)
	($ thousands, except share and per share data)
REVENUES	$	1,063,124		$	1,128,350		$	3,177,374		$	3,337,908

OPERATING EXPENSES		928,131			1,083,259			2,971,101			3,229,542

OPERATING INCOME		134,993			45,091			206,273			108,366

OTHER INCOME (COSTS)
Interest and dividend income		3,130			3,946			9,686			10,604
Interest and other related financing costs		(2,281	)		(2,236	)		(6,587	)		(6,768	)
Other, net		862			89			(28,118	)		6,907
		1,711			1,799			(25,019	)		10,743

INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		136,704			46,890			181,254			119,109

INCOME TAX PROVISION		36,390			11,963			36,928			25,735

NET INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS		100,314			34,927			144,326			93,374

INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax⁽¹⁾		—			(10	)		600			53,269

NET INCOME	$	100,314		$	34,917		$	144,926		$	146,643

BASIC EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE⁽²⁾
Continuing operations	$	4.25		$	1.46		$	6.12		$	3.87
Discontinued operations⁽¹⁾		—			—			0.03			2.21
	$	4.25		$	1.45		$	6.14		$	6.08

DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE⁽²⁾
Continuing operations	$	4.23		$	1.42		$	6.03		$	3.77
Discontinued operations⁽¹⁾		—			—			0.03			2.15
	$	4.23		$	1.42		$	6.06		$	5.92

AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING
Basic		23,624,761			24,004,255			23,601,548			24,119,449
Diluted		23,690,120			24,525,258			23,923,047			24,756,993

_________________________
¹⁾		Represents the discontinued operations of FleetNet America^® (“FleetNet”), which sold on February 28, 2023. The nine months ended September 30, 2024 represents adjustments related to the prior year gain on sale of FleetNet. The nine months ended September 30, 2023 includes the net gain on sale of FleetNet of $52.3 million after-tax, or $2.17 basic earnings per share and $2.11 diluted earnings per share.
²⁾		Earnings per common share is calculated in total and may not equal the sum of earnings per common share from continuing operations and discontinued operations due to rounding.

ARCBEST CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

	September 30			December 31
	2024			2023
	(Unaudited)			Note
	($ thousands, except share data)
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$	150,461		$	262,226
Short-term investments		40,639			67,842
Accounts receivable, less allowances (2024 – $9,010; 2023 – $10,346)		422,861			430,122
Other accounts receivable, less allowances (2024 – $650; 2023 – $731)		13,247			52,124
Prepaid expenses		32,400			37,034
Prepaid and refundable income taxes		21,421			24,319
Other		10,880			11,116
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS		691,909			884,783

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Land and structures		520,894			460,068
Revenue equipment		1,170,045			1,126,055
Service, office, and other equipment		353,880			319,466
Software		182,035			173,354
Leasehold improvements		29,648			24,429
		2,256,502			2,103,372
Less allowances for depreciation and amortization		1,207,110			1,188,548
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net		1,049,392			914,824

GOODWILL		304,753			304,753
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		91,627			101,150
OPERATING RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS		193,467			169,999
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES		8,293			8,140
OTHER LONG-TERM ASSETS		74,739			101,445
TOTAL ASSETS	$	2,414,180		$	2,485,094

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	$	204,696		$	214,004
Income taxes payable		4,808			10,410
Accrued expenses		360,738			378,029
Current portion of long-term debt		62,199			66,948
Current portion of operating lease liabilities		33,127			32,172
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES		665,568			701,563

LONG-TERM DEBT, less current portion		118,312			161,990
OPERATING LEASE LIABILITIES, less current portion		192,046			176,621
POSTRETIREMENT LIABILITIES, less current portion		13,269			13,319
CONTINGENT CONSIDERATION		12,160			92,900
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES		65,738			55,785
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES		39,991			40,553

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 70,000,000 shares; issued 2024: 30,400,558 shares; 2023: 30,024,125 shares		304			300
Additional paid-in capital		327,335			340,961
Retained earnings		1,409,025			1,272,584
Treasury stock, at cost, 2024: 6,938,452 shares; 2023: 6,460,137 shares		(431,914	)		(375,806	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income		2,346			4,324
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY		1,307,096			1,242,363
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$	2,414,180		$	2,485,094
_________________________ Note: The balance sheet at December 31, 2023 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements.

ARCBEST CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

	Nine Months Ended
	September 30
	2024			2023
	(Unaudited)
	($ thousands)
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$	144,926		$	146,643
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		100,104			98,711
Amortization of intangibles		9,616			9,631
Share-based compensation expense		9,040			8,590
Provision for losses on accounts receivable		2,038			2,621
Change in deferred income taxes		10,547			(10,880	)
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment		(1,063	)		1,134
Pre-tax gain on sale of discontinued operations		(806	)		(70,201	)
Lease impairment charges		—			30,162
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		(80,740	)		(12,800	)
Change in fair value of equity investment		28,739			(3,739	)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Receivables		44,344			43,478
Prepaid expenses		4,634			8,640
Other assets		(3,364	)		2,393
Income taxes		(2,870	)		(22,051	)
Operating right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, net		(7,088	)		3,286
Accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other liabilities		(29,009	)		(40,863	)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		229,048			194,755

INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchases of property, plant and equipment, net of financings		(169,839	)		(129,779	)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		6,187			5,972
Proceeds from sale of discontinued operations		—			100,949
Purchases of short-term investments		(29,236	)		(80,353	)
Proceeds from sale of short-term investments		55,874			160,570
Capitalization of internally developed software		(12,437	)		(9,424	)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(149,451	)		47,935

FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Payments on long-term debt		(102,366	)		(52,489	)
Net change in book overdrafts		(1,676	)		(12,489	)
Deferred financing costs		(65	)		57
Payment of common stock dividends		(8,485	)		(8,696	)
Purchases of treasury stock		(56,108	)		(65,886	)
Payments for tax withheld on share-based compensation		(22,662	)		(10,056	)
NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(191,362	)		(149,559	)

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS		(111,765	)		93,131
Cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations at beginning of period		262,226			158,264
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations at beginning of period		—			108
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	$	150,461		$	251,503

NONCASH INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Equipment financed	$	53,939		$	31,024
Accruals for equipment received	$	5,114		$	5,743
Lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets	$	40,872		$	49,033
_________________________ Note: The statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 include cash flows from continuing operations and cash flows from discontinued operations of FleetNet, which sold on February 28, 2023.

ARCBEST CORPORATION FINANCIAL STATEMENT OPERATING SEGMENT DATA AND OPERATING RATIOS

	Three Months Ended												Nine Months Ended
	September 30												September 30
	2024						2023						2024						2023
	(Unaudited)
	($ thousands, except percentages)
REVENUES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS
Asset-Based	$	709,722					$	741,186					$	2,093,914					$	2,161,018
Asset-Light		385,324						419,312						1,177,504						1,267,220
Other and eliminations		(31,922	)					(32,148	)					(94,044	)					(90,330	)
Total consolidated revenues from continuing operations	$	1,063,124					$	1,128,350					$	3,177,374					$	3,337,908

OPERATING EXPENSES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS
Asset-Based
Salaries, wages, and benefits	$	358,469		50.5		%	$	357,582		48.2		%	$	1,056,146		50.4		%	$	1,037,725		48.0		%
Fuel, supplies, and expenses		79,170		11.2				91,493		12.4				243,152		11.6				276,678		12.8
Operating taxes and licenses		13,538		1.9				13,865		1.9				40,624		1.9				41,938		1.9
Insurance		19,819		2.8				13,654		1.8				51,265		2.4				39,816		1.8
Communications and utilities		4,793		0.6				4,729		0.6				14,004		0.7				14,586		0.7
Depreciation and amortization		26,967		3.8				26,537		3.6				80,620		3.9				76,721		3.6
Rents and purchased transportation		73,600		10.4				79,233		10.7				209,586		10.0				271,899		12.6
Shared services		69,463		9.8				70,699		9.5				206,622		9.9				209,780		9.7
(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment and lease impairment charges⁽¹⁾		(1,688	)	(0.2	)			540		0.1				(1,630	)	(0.1	)			905		—
Innovative technology costs⁽²⁾		—		—				7,300		1.0				—		—				21,711		1.0
Other		1,571		0.2				731		0.1				3,257		0.2				3,640		0.2
Total Asset-Based		645,702		91.0		%		666,363		89.9		%		1,903,646		90.9		%		1,995,399		92.3		%

Asset-Light
Purchased transportation	$	331,107		85.9		%	$	365,217		87.1		%	$	1,014,476		86.2		%	$	1,078,482		85.1		%
Salaries, wages, and benefits⁽³⁾		30,150		7.8				31,193		7.4				91,490		7.8				98,688		7.8
Supplies and expenses⁽³⁾		2,702		0.7				2,625		0.6				8,279		0.7				9,159		0.7
Depreciation and amortization⁽⁴⁾		5,037		1.3				5,097		1.2				15,154		1.3				15,250		1.2
Shared services⁽³⁾		17,547		4.6				16,218		4.0				51,118		4.3				49,232		3.9
Contingent consideration⁽⁵⁾		(91,910	)	(23.9	)			(17,840	)	(4.3	)			(80,740	)	(6.9	)			(12,800	)	(1.0	)
Lease impairment charges⁽⁶⁾		—		—				14,407		3.4				—		—				14,407		1.1
Other⁽³⁾		5,912		1.6				6,099		1.5				17,704		1.5				19,417		1.6
Total Asset-Light		300,545		78.0		%		423,016		100.9		%		1,117,481		94.9		%		1,271,835		100.4		%

Other and eliminations⁽⁷⁾		(18,116	)					(6,120	)					(50,026	)					(37,692	)
Total consolidated operating expenses from continuing operations	$	928,131		87.3		%	$	1,083,259		96.0		%	$	2,971,101		93.5		%	$	3,229,542		96.8		%

OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS
Asset-Based	$	64,020					$	74,823					$	190,268					$	165,619
Asset-Light		84,779						(3,704	)					60,023						(4,615	)
Other and eliminations⁽⁷⁾		(13,806	)					(26,028	)					(44,018	)					(52,638	)
Total consolidated operating income from continuing operations	$	134,993					$	45,091					$	206,273					$	108,366

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact: Amy Mendenhall

Phone: 479-785-6200

Email: invrel@arcb.com

Media Contact: Autumnn Mahar

Phone: 479-494-8221

Email: amahar@arcb.com

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