Expeditors reports 6% increase in 3rd-quarter earnings despite poor August

Expeditors reports 6% increase in 3rd-quarter earnings despite poor August    Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. reported net earnings of $32.6 million for the third quarter, an increase of 6 percent over the $30.6 million net result for the same quarter of 2002.
   Expeditors suffered a lower airfreight tonnage out of Asia and reduced margins in August, and had warned in September that its results for the third quarter would likely fall short of the market expectations.
   During the latest quarter, total revenues increased by 15 percent, to $711.5 million, with operating income rising by 4 percent, to $49.4 million, when compared with the third quarter of 2002.
   Net revenues increased 11 percent, to $196.8 million, from $177.8 million.
   “Our August results made it clear that we needed to comment on the financial implications of emerging trends,” said Peter J. Rose, chairman and chief executive officer of Expeditors.
      “We went on to have a fundamentally sound September and we continue to work to catch up with the carrier rate increases,” he said. “Margins did improve somewhat as the third quarter concluded, but growth in airfreight tonnage was not sufficient to make up for the August shortfall.”
   Expeditors reported airfreight total revenue of $307.6 million for the third quarter, down from $318.8 million a year earlier, and ocean freight revenue of $284.9 million, up from $205.2 million.