J.B. Hunt’s Fourth-Quarter Earnings Dip; Full-Year Improves

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Truckload carrier J.B. Hunt Transport Services said Monday it earned $57.8 million or 39 cents a share in the fourth quarter, a decline from $65.3 million or 41 cents a year ago. Revenue slipped 1% to $851.6 million, the company said. Operating income for the quarter fell 11% to $95 million.For the full year, the company earned $219.9 million or $1.44 a share, up from $207.3 million or $1.28 a year earlier. Revenue rose 6% to $3.33 billion.The company said “outstanding results” in its intermodal and dedicated contract services offset lower returns from its truck segment.Trucking revenue dipped 16% to $239 million on 4% fewer loads than a year earlier. Truck operating income fell 63% to $14.9 million.Fourth-quarter intermodal revenue rose 8% to $387 million while operating income jumped 50% to $56 million.The company’s founder, Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., died in December following a fall. (Click here for previous coverage.)J.B. Hunt is ranked No. 10 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.