JB Hunt Transport Services Q3 Profit Rises - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Surface transportation company JB Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT) announced third quarter 2013 net earnings of $89.5 million or $0.75 per share, up from $78.2 million, or $0.65 per share in the year ago quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.78 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Operating income for the current quarter totaled $151 million vs. $133 million for the third quarter 2012. The increase in operating income from load growth, higher JBI box turns and freight mix was partially offset by increases in driver recruiting costs, higher rates paid to third party carriers for dray, brokerage and truckload services, higher driver mileage pay, higher equipment costs, and lower tractor utilization in JBT due to moderate customer demand and new hours of service regulations.

Total operating revenue for the quarter grew to $1.44 billion, from $1.30 billion in the third quarter 2012. Twenty two analysts had consensus revenue estimate of $1.45 billion for the quarter.