Forward Air Profit Falls Slightly, Ups Second Quarter Expectations
Trucking and logistics provider Forward Air increased revenue the first quarter of the year but income fell compared to the same time in 2013.

Photo: Evan Lockridge
Trucking and logistics provider Forward Air increased revenue the first quarter of the year but income fell compared to the same time in 2013.
Operating revenue for the Tennessee-based company increased 21.2% to $171.6 million from $141.6 million for the same quarter in 2013 ,while net income was $10.2 million compared to $10.9 million in the prior-year quarter.
Income per diluted share for the first quarter of 2014 was 33 cents compared with 36 cents in the prior-year quarter.

Photo: Evan Lockridge
“Our core airport-to-airport business has continued to see good volume growth and, with the impact of our March general rate increase, our improved yield should be a positive contributor going forward,” said Bruce A. Campbell, chairman, president, and CEO. “Our Forward Air Inc. results also include the results of Central States Trucking, which we acquired in early February. CST had approximately $900,000 of operating income for the quarter which was essentially offset by deal related costs resulting in a neutral impact on its profitability for the quarter.”
The company’s pool distribution services Forward Air Solutions turned a $800,000 million loss in first quarter of 2013 into a break-even this year, while Campall said it Total Quality operation, which offers maximum security and temperature-controlled services to the pharmaceutical and life science industries ”were partially muted by weather-related difficulties.”
“We were encouraged by the 90% operating ratio that TQI delivered in March and believe that it is more indicative of our expected results for the balance of 2014,”Campbell said.
Looking ahead to the second quarter Forward Air says it expects revenues will increase in the range of 22% to 27% over the comparable 2013 period. Included in that range of revenue growth is the approximately 12% growth that is a result of the purchase of Central State Trucking.
The company expects income per diluted share to be between 53 cents and 57 cents per share, compared to 454 cents per share in the second quarter of 2013.
More financial details are on the Forward Air website.
More Fleet Management

How Telematics Improves Visibility, Control, and Performance in Refrigerated Fleets
Explore how telematics help refrigerated fleets improve visibility, uptime, efficiency, compliance, and cargo protection across connected cold chain operations.
Read More →
What the U.S.-Canada Trade War Means for Trucking
Escalating U.S.-Canada tariffs could disrupt cross-border freight, reduce truck volumes, raise costs, and create new uncertainty for carriers on both sides of the border.
Read More →
What Are Trucking’s Top Concerns for 2026?
The American Transportation Research Institute wants to know what's worrying trucking fleet managers, drivers, and other stakeholders in its annual Industry Issues survey.
Read More →
American Trucking Associations Looks for a New Leader
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear abruptly left his job at the association on August 21, at a pivotal time for the trucking industry.
Read More →
Public Wi-Fi Cybersecurity Risks: How Truck Drivers and Fleets Can Protect Their Data
Public Wi-Fi can expose truck drivers and fleets to credential theft, malware, and other cyber threats. Here’s how to reduce the risk on the road.
Read More →
For Nicky Cupp, Fleet Innovation Starts With Frustration
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Nicky Cupp turns everyday pain points at Fraley & Schilling into opportunities for better technology and smarter processes.
Read More →
Adam Buttgenbach’s Approach to Electric Trucks: Start With Where They Fit
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Adam Buttgenbach helped PepsiCo build one of North America’s largest EV fleets by focusing on where electric trucks make operational sense.
Read More →
Deen Albert: Let Automation Do the Math, People Make the Decisions
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Deen Albert makes sure people are still at the heart of operations at Grand Island Express, even while adopting artificial intelligence tools. AI-assisted dispatch helped boost revenue 25% with the same number of trucks.
Read More →Trimble’s New AI Agent Takes Aim at Fleet Back-Office Busywork
Arc Agent works across Trimble TMS products to automate repetitive tasks such as freight orders, maintenance, invoices, fuel costs and more.
Read More →
How HDT’s 2026 Truck Fleet Innovators Are Rethinking Fleet Operations
Meet five trucking leaders who are challenging assumptions, solving operational problems, and putting innovative ideas to work.
Read More →

