Heartland Express’ First-Quarter Income Slips

Company Sees Late-Quarter ‘Signs of Improvement’

Truckload carrier Heartland Express said its first-profit slipped to $11.9 million, or 13 cents a share, from $14.1 million, or 15 cents, a year ago.

Revenue rose slightly to $115.6 million, from $114.9 million a year earlier, the company said Monday.

“While revenues for most of the quarter continued to be impacted by lower freight demand . . . by quarter-end there were signs of improvement evidenced by increased freight demand, tightening capacity and stabilizing freight rates,” the company said.

Heartland Express is ranked No. 43 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire trucking companies.