NASDAQ$FWRD

Forward Air Corporation · Q3 2023 earnings

Q3 2023 earnings · · Investor relations

Briefing

Forward Air reported a decline in revenue due to weak demand for intermodal and truckload brokerage services, but experienced strong momentum in LTL volumes and growth with LTL freight forwarders and direct shippers.

Forward Air Corporation reported a 19% decrease in revenue for Q3 2023, with net income per diluted share at $0.36 and adjusted net income per diluted share at $0.99. The company saw positive volume trends in LTL and growth with domestic freight forwarders and direct shippers, but faced challenges due to weak demand in intermodal and truckload brokerage services.

  • LTL volumes showed strong momentum, with continued growth with LTL freight forwarders and direct shippers.
  • Weight per shipment increased +8% over the same period in the prior year.
  • LTL line of business achieved an operating ratio of approximately 85.5% for September 2023.
  • Door-to-door revenue increased 12% over the same period in the prior year.

Headline financials

Total Revenue

$413M

Previous: $510M-18.9%
EPS (adj)

$0.99

Previous: $1.93-48.7%
Capital Expenditures

-$5.84M

Previous: -$25.4M+77.0%
Free Cash Flow

$3.45M

Previous: $26.7M-87.1%
Net Income

$9.29M

Previous: $52.1M-82.2%
Operating Income

$15.5M

Previous: $71.7M-78.4%
Gross Profit

$223M

Previous: $281M-20.7%
Cash & Equivalents

$18.8M

Previous: $46.8M-59.8%
Total Assets

$1.19B

Previous: $1.19B+0.4%
Stock-Based Comp

$3.04M

Previous: $2.68M+13.7%

Revenue & EPS history

Forward Air · Revenue · Quarterly

$413M

Q3 2023-18.9%vs Q3 2022
Beat estimate in 3 of 15 quarters(20%)
ActualEstimate

Revenue by segment

Forward Air · $414M total across 2 segments · Q3 2023

  • Expedited Freight
    $351M-11.2%
  • Intermodal
    $62.2M-45.7%

Forward guidance

Forward Air expects revenue to decline 7% to 17% year-over-year, and adjusted net income per diluted share to be in the range of $0.98 to $1.02 for Q4 2023.

Headwinds

  • Year-over-year revenue decline expected to be 7% to 17%.
  • Adjusted net income per diluted share expected to be in the range of $0.98 to $1.02.
  • Decline compared to reported net income per diluted share of $1.60 in Q4 2022.
  • Decline compared to adjusted net income per diluted share of $1.65 in Q4 2022.

Historical earnings impact

How earnings announcements have historically affected this stock's price.

Avg. return before/after earnings

Based on 19 quarterly earnings reports · overlaid with Q3 2023

Historical avgQ3 2023

+0.1%

Avg return

Earnings day

+0.2%

Avg return

5 days after

+1.8%

Avg return

30 days after

55%

37 / 67 earnings

Positive

+27.5%

Q2 2024

Best reaction

-19.8%

Q1 2024

Worst reaction

Earnings price reactions
QuarterReport dateReaction (Day 0)+5 days+30 days
Q1 2026+6.1%-11.3%+24.3%
Q4 2025+4.6%+0.0%-32.5%
Q3 2025+0.7%+16.1%+41.9%
Q1 2025+0.3%+9.7%+8.5%
Q4 2024-10.7%-14.0%-19.5%
Q3 2024+6.6%+3.4%+0.2%
Q2 2024+27.5%+15.9%+49.5%
Q1 2024-19.8%-22.7%-1.1%
Q4 2023-7.5%-20.8%-22.5%
Q3 2023-8.5%-5.9%-9.7%
Q2 2023-5.4%-6.3%-39.5%
Q1 2023-6.5%-7.8%-7.8%
Q4 2022-15.3%-11.1%-8.7%
Q3 2022+0.6%+4.9%+9.7%
Q2 2022+6.9%+10.0%+7.2%
Q1 2022+6.7%+8.1%+2.5%
Q4 2021-5.0%-5.5%-5.7%
Q3 2021+3.2%+11.4%+7.6%
Q2 2021+2.0%+2.9%+2.8%
Q1 2021+1.1%+11.8%+11.0%
Q4 2020+1.6%+5.8%+17.0%
Q3 2020+4.9%+11.0%+23.6%
Q2 2020-1.6%+2.8%+11.8%
Q1 2020-9.3%-11.2%-7.1%
Q4 2019-4.7%-7.1%-15.6%
Q3 2019+6.8%+8.2%+5.6%
Q2 2019+3.8%+1.4%-5.0%
Q1 2019-1.5%-6.5%-13.8%
Q4 2018+9.0%+10.2%+4.7%
Q3 2018-8.3%-7.4%-1.7%
Q2 2018+8.4%+7.6%+10.7%
Q1 2018+5.2%+3.1%+14.1%
Q4 2017-6.0%-4.5%-3.9%
Q3 2017-1.1%-2.1%-6.1%
Q2 2017-6.7%-4.8%-6.3%
Q1 2017+7.8%+4.1%+2.6%
Q4 2016+6.1%+6.8%+1.6%
Q3 2016-1.5%-0.7%+16.4%
Q2 2016+4.9%+4.4%+2.7%
Q1 2016+0.3%
Q4 2015-13.4%
Q3 2015+3.7%
Q2 2015-5.1%
Q1 2015+3.2%
Q4 2014+6.1%
Q3 2014-4.5%
Q2 2014+0.3%
Q1 2014-3.2%
Q4 2013-0.5%
Q3 2013+1.2%
Q2 2013-5.2%
Q1 2013+0.0%
Q4 2012+0.6%
Q3 2012+5.8%
Q2 2012+4.6%
Q1 2012-0.7%
Q4 2011-2.3%
Q3 2011-2.9%
Q2 2011-2.5%
Q1 2010+1.6%
Q4 2010+1.6%
Q1 2011+6.4%
Q4 2008+2.4%
Q2 2009-1.9%
Q3 2009-1.9%
Q2 2010+2.3%
Q4 2009+2.3%

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