Two Trucking Firms Project Lower Results

Two trucking firms forecast difficult quarters for their upcoming earnings statements.

Truckload carrier Werner Enterprises warned earnings in the first quarter will be “significantly lower” than a year earlier because of weak demand, Bloomberg reported.

Werner earned 21 cents a share in the first quarter of 2007.

Bulk carrier Quality Distribution said it expects to record a pre-tax fourth-quarter loss of about $15.5 million, compared with pre-tax income of $1.2 million for the same period last year.

Quality said it expects to report a per-share loss of 49 cents, versus a 4-cent profit last year. It reports earnings on March 14.

Werner is ranked No. 14 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers, while Quality is No. 35.