Looking back on ground transportation stocks’ Q2 earnings, we examine this quarter’s best and worst performers, including Knight-Swift Transportation (NYSE: KNX) and its peers.

The growth of e-commerce and global trade continues to drive demand for shipping services, especially last-mile delivery, presenting opportunities for ground transportation companies. The industry continues to invest in data, analytics, and autonomous fleets to optimize efficiency and find the most cost-effective routes. Despite the essential services this industry provides, ground transportation companies are still at the whim of economic cycles. Consumer spending, for example, can greatly impact the demand for these companies’ offerings while fuel costs can influence profit margins.

The 16 ground transportation stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q2. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

While some ground transportation stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 4.6% since the latest earnings results.

Knight-Swift Transportation (NYSE: KNX)

Covering 1.6 billion loaded miles in 2023 alone, Knight-Swift Transportation (NYSE: KNX) offers less-than-truckload and full truckload delivery services.

Knight-Swift Transportation reported revenues of $1.86 billion, flat year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, and overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ sales volume estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The stock is down 13.6% since reporting and currently trades at $39.45.

Is now the time to buy Knight-Swift Transportation? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q2: Werner (NASDAQ: WERN)

Conducting business in over a 100 countries, Werner (NASDAQ: WERN) offers full-truckload, less-than-truckload, and intermodal delivery services.

Werner reported revenues of $753.1 million, down 1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 4.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $26.67.

Is now the time to buy Werner? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q2: Heartland Express (NASDAQ: HTLD)

Founded by the son of a trucker, Heartland Express (NASDAQ: HTLD) offers full-truckload deliveries across the United States and Mexico.

Heartland Express reported revenues of $210.4 million, down 23.4% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 10.4%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Heartland Express delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 2% since the results and currently trades at $8.49.

Read our full analysis of Heartland Express’s results here.

Schneider (NYSE: SNDR)

Employing thousands of drivers across the country to make deliveries, Schneider (NYSE: SNDR) makes full truckload and intermodal deliveries regionally and across borders.

Schneider reported revenues of $1.42 billion, up 7.9% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged and a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The stock is down 10.2% since reporting and currently trades at $21.98.

Read our full, actionable report on Schneider here, it’s free.

Ryder (NYSE: R)

As one of the first companies to introduce the idea of leasing trucks, Ryder (NYSE: R) provides rental vehicles to businesses and delivers packages directly to homes or businesses.

Ryder reported revenues of $3.19 billion, flat year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. It was a very strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The stock is up 8.1% since reporting and currently trades at $186.65.

Read our full, actionable report on Ryder here, it’s free.

Market Update

The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty for 2025.

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