Smithway’s Fourth-Quarter Income Jumps 95%

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latbed carrier Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. said Monday that its fourth-quarter profit almost doubled, jumping 95% to $755,000 or 15 cents a share, from $387,000 or 8 cents a year earlier.

Operating revenue rose 16% to $58 million, the carrier said in a statement.

For the year, Smithway earned $4.2 million or 84 cents a share, up from $2.2 million or 45 cents in 2004. Revenue rose 17% to $220.4 million.

“Freight demand continues to be robust and higher than normal demand for building products and heavy equipment continues today, producing strong demand for our flatbed services,” Smithway Chief Executive Officer Larry Owens said in a statement.

He said the company’s independent contractor fleet grew nearly 6% in the past year.

Smithway is ranked No. 96 on the Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian trucking companies.