Werner Enterprises Inc. on Wednesday reported its first quarter net income increased 61% from the same time last year, while total revenue moved just 1% higher.
Werner Improves Income 61% in First Quarter
Werner Enterprises Inc. on Wednesday reported its first quarter net income increased 61% from the same time last year, while total revenue moved just 1% higher.
Evan Lockridge・Former Business Contributing Editor
Photo by Evan Lockridge
2 min to read
The Oklahoma-based freight transportation and logistics provider had net income of $23.1 million, compared to $14.3 million a year earlier, as earnings per diluted share increased to 32 cents from 20 cents.
Revenue was $495.7 million compared to $492 million in the first quarter of 2014. On the expense side fuel costs fell by nearly $40 million from a year earlier.
“Freight demand demonstrated consistent strength in first quarter 2015, resulting in one of the better first quarter freight markets in the last six years,” the company said in a release. “Freight demand showed increasingly positive momentum, as expected, from January to February to March 2015.
"In first quarter 2014, there was widespread severe winter weather in the first two months of 2014, which caused significant freight disruption and weather-related costs. Once the weather improved in March 2014, there was an unusual spike in freight demand for several weeks resulting from clearing the backlog of freight shipments.”
During the first three weeks of April 2015, Werner said freight demand “remains firm" and "a strengthening economy combined with constrained truck capacity is contributing to improved freight demand…[and] we expect this favorable trend will continue.”
Werner’s average revenues per tractor per week, net of fuel surcharge, increased 5.5% in first quarter 2015 compared to first quarter 2014, while average miles per truck increased 2%. Average revenues per total mile, net of fuel surcharge, increased 3.5% in first quarter 2015 compared to first quarter 2014.
In first quarter 2015, Werner averaged 7,013 trucks in service in its truckload segment, plus 50 intermodal drayage trucks. It ended the first quarter 2015 with 7,110 trucks in the truckload segment, while its specialized services unit, primarily dedicated, ended the quarter with 3,680 trucks, or 52% of Werner’s total truckload segment fleet.
More Fleet Management
HDT Q&A: Brian Antonellis on the Growing Need to Replace Old Trucks
Fleet Advantage's Brian Antonellis says it's time for fleets to get back to the fundamentals of good maintenance practices. And that includes replacing older, inefficient equipment.
Read More →
Truckstop.com Adding to Open Deck, Heavy Haul Offerings
Load matching for flatbed, lowbed, oversize and overweight loads can't be automated like basic van freight, but Truckstop.com is adding more high-tech tools to help.
Read More →
Trucker Path, Truckstop.com Expand Load Access Partnership
An expanded Trucker Path and Truckstop.com integration brings more freight opportunities into the TruckLoads app while emphasizing security and network quality.
Read More →
Truckload Rates Hit Two-Year Highs as Diesel Costs Surge, DAT Says
Strong March freight demand combined with a spike in fuel costs pushed both spot and contract truckload rates to their highest levels in more than two years.
Read More →
The AI Conversation You Need to Have with Your TMS Provider
Everyone’s talking about AI — but is your transportation management system actually built for it?
Read More →
Kriska Buys Fellow Canadian Carrier Sharp Transportation Systems
Being part of KTG will allow Sharp to expand and improve its services.
Read More →
Bill in House Would Raise Minimum Insurance for Motor Carriers to $5 Million
The Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act would increase insurance requirements for interstate motor carriers by nearly seven times.
Read More →
FTR Trucking Conditions Index Hits Four-Year High in February
Strong freight rates push TCI to 10.2, but FTR expects fuel-price volatility to skew March results.
Read More →
C.H. Robinson Offers Carriers Relief as Diesel Prices Surge
C.H. Robinson is waiving fees on fuel cards and cash advances for April and May, aiming to help carriers offset rising diesel costs tied to geopolitical instability.
Read More →
What Trucking Events are Happening in 2026?
Looking for trucking-related conventions, expos, and other events? Heavy Duty Trucking has developed this list of national and larger regional trucking shows and events.
Read More →