A soft freight market scenario, competitive pricing and declining liquidity weigh on JBHT's performance, undermining its prospects.
J.B. Hunt's NASDAQ: JBHT stock share price came under pressure with the threat of tariffs and their economic impact and fell to a new low following its Q1 release. The low was catalyzed by tepid guidance relative to analysts' forecasts and the price target reset it caused.
I maintain a hold rating on JBHT due to ongoing margin pressures, mixed bid season outcomes, and macro uncertainties around tariffs affecting demand visibility. J.B. Hunt's 1Q25 revenue was $2.92 billion, down 1% y/y, with Intermodal revenue up 5% y/y but margins still declining. Dedicated Contract Services segment saw a 4% y/y revenue decline and a 14% y/y EBIT drop, indicating weak underlying demand and fleet reductions.
J.B. Hunt's financial performance has deteriorated, with revenue and net income declining significantly over the past few years. The company's long-term debt has increased substantially, leading to higher interest expenses, which adds risk to the investment. The dividend yield of 1.3% requires an unrealistic 25% CAGR to match the 10-Year Treasury Note's cash flows, making it less attractive.
JBHT's total operating revenues are $2.92 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:JBHT ) Q1 2025 Earnings Conference Call April 15, 2025 5:00 PM ET Company Participants Brad Delco - SVP, Finance Shelley Simpson - President & CEO John Kuhlow - CFO Spencer Frazier - EVP, Sales & Marketing Nick Hobbs - COO, President, Highway & Final Mile Services, EVP Brad Hicks - President, Dedicated Contract Services Darren Field - President, Intermodal Conference Call Participants Chris Wetherbee - Wells Fargo Daniel Imbro - Stephens, Inc. Jordan Alliger - Goldman Sachs Brandon Oglenski - Barclays Jon Chappell - Evercore ISI Bascome Majors - Susquehanna Scott Group - Wolfe Research Ken Hoexter - Bank of America Brian Ossenbeck - JPMorgan Richa Harnain - Deutsche Bank Ravi Shanker - Morgan Stanley Ariel Rosa - Citigroup Operator Good afternoon, and welcome to the J.B. Hunt Transport First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call.
Trucking and logistics provider J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. on Tuesday said that its customers are still trying to figure out how to adapt to new tariff-related stresses, and said it had lost some business to rivals offering lower shipping prices.
While the top- and bottom-line numbers for JB Hunt (JBHT) give a sense of how the business performed in the quarter ended March 2025, it could be worth looking at how some of its key metrics compare to Wall Street estimates and year-ago values.
JB Hunt (JBHT) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.17 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.15 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.22 per share a year ago.
Looking beyond Wall Street's top -and-bottom-line estimate forecasts for JB Hunt (JBHT), delve into some of its key metrics to gain a deeper insight into the company's potential performance for the quarter ended March 2025.
JB Hunt (JBHT) doesn't possess the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.
Higher interest expenses, reduced segmental revenues and significant debt are weighing on JBHT's bottom line.