J.B. Hunt experiences growing pains in Q3

“Any time that we see this pressure happening from a driver environment, [it] typically yields a much better pricing environment for the next bid season,” said President and CEO Shelley Simpson.

The brunt of the cost-price mismatch likely occurred in August and September, and should fade as the magnitude of the cost pressure eases and recent contractual rate wins bleed through to results. It said office headcount was down 4.5% y/y in the period, as driver count increased 3.5%.

Fuel surcharges operate on a one-week lag. Diesel prices were up sequentially in nine of the 13 weeks of the third quarter. By month, retail diesel prices dipped 1% sequentially in July, but increased 10% sequentially in August and another 15% in September. The near-term headwind will become an earnings tailwind when prices revert.

The third quarter marked a fifth straight quarter of y/y improvement in operating income and EPS. The company’s earnings turnaround started in the 2025 third quarter, well ahead of peers.

Intermodal can exit 2027 operating within margin target range

Intermodal revenue increased 20% y/y to $1.83 billion as loads were up 8.5% and revenue per load increased 11%.

The period was up against an easier volume comparison to a year ago (-1%). By month, shipments grew y/y by 9% in July, 8% in August and 9% in September. Shipments increased 18% y/y in the East and 1% in the transcontinental network. Total intermodal carloads were up 6% y/y on the U.S. Class I railroads in the period (North American container moves were up 5% y/y).

Excluding fuel, revenue per load was up just 2% y/y. However, a 3% decline in length of haul, due to the mix shift to the East, was a modest headwind to yield metric. Management said it captured low-single-digit contractual rate increase in the 2026 bid season, which ended last month.

Sonar data shows the mode is currently 31% cheaper than truck, which is notably higher than the typical 10% to 15% discount carried in the East (approximately 25% in the West). Elevated truckload rates and record diesel prices remain ample tailwinds for road-to-rail conversion.

The unit booked a 91.9% operating ratio (inverse of operating margin), which was 15 basis points worse y/y. Higher costs (driver personnel, equipment and employee benefits) led to an 11% increase in cost per load, offsetting the increase in yield.

The company’s container fleet was 92.1% utilized in the quarter, 170 bps better than in the second quarter and well ahead of the 83.6% utilization rate in the 2025 third quarter. However, average loads per container were down 1% y/y in the period, possibly due to a modest deterioration in rail service.

Improved rates and continued cost management could restore margins to the company’s long-term target range of 10% to 12% by the end of next year, management said.

Dedicated a Q3 cost victim

The dedicated unit’s OR deteriorated 360 bps y/y to 91.5%.

Revenue increased 11% y/y to $960 million as revenue per truck per week increased 10% and average trucks in service were up 1%. Revenue per truck was up just 3% excluding fuel. J.B. Hunt sold service on 425 trucks in the quarter (970 trucks year-to-date), but its pipeline remains at an all-time high.

Higher driver costs, group medical claims and insurance premiums were among the headwinds in the quarter. It also incurred an elevated level of startup costs at new accounts. Average trailers in service increased 11% y/y even though loads grew just 3%.

It said it can revisit customer contracts and recoup incremental costs, like higher driver costs, before the annual rollover.

Brokerage books another profit

After 13 quarters operating in the red, the brokerage unit booked a second straight operating profit.

Revenue increased 57% y/y as loads grew 22% and revenue per load jumped 29% (inclusive of fuel). A 14.3% gross margin was 70 bps lower y/y but 180 bps better than the second quarter. Purchased transportation costs (spot rates) cooled following the Fourth of July. Loads per employee fell 5% y/y but gross profit per employee increased 17%. Headcount was 28% higher y/y.

The company’s asset-light TL unit returned to profitability after a modest second-quarter loss. The $7-million operating profit was driven by a 29% y/y increase in revenue per load (excluding fuel) and a 4% increase in trailer utilization (loads per average trailer). The operating income result was roughly flat y/y.

Shares of JBHT were down 3% in pre-market trading on Friday. The stock fell 14% from its mid-September earnings update to the Thursday close. 

Why it matters? J.B. Hunt’s quarterly results serve as a bellwether for the intermodal, trucking and logistics industries. The company’s third quarter was a modest slowdown after four quarters of strong recovery. However, some of the incremental costs that plagued the period were likely transitory in nature.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:

• LTL rates hit new high in Q3, moving higher in Q4
• Cass: TL linehaul rates up 10% in September, shipment counts remain positive
• Yellow Corp., Teamsters settle on WARN Act claims