NASDAQ$FWRD

Forward Air Corporation · Q4 2024 earnings

Q4 2024 earnings · · After market close · Investor relations

Briefing

Forward Air reported its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results, with full year results near the top end of guidance range and over $100 million in annualized cost synergies achieved in the first year post-Omni transaction.

Forward Air Corporation reported a consolidated revenue of $633 million for Q4 2024, with income from continuing operations at $76 million. The company achieved over $100 million in annualized cost synergies in the first year following the Omni acquisition, exceeding the previously committed $75 million.

  • Consolidated revenue for Q4 2024 was $632.8 million, an 87.0% increase compared to Q4 2023.
  • Income from continuing operations for Q4 2024 was $75.8 million, a significant increase from $3.0 million in Q4 2023, favorably impacted by a goodwill impairment adjustment.
  • The company achieved over $100 million in annualized cost synergies in the first year after the Omni acquisition, surpassing the initial target of $75 million.
  • Expedited Freight segment was negatively impacted by a prior pricing strategy, but corrective actions were implemented in Q4 2024 with expected full run rate results by end of February.

Headline financials

Total Revenue

$633M

Previous: $338M+87.0%
EPS (adj)

-$1.23

Previous: $0.81-251.9%
Expedited Freight Total Pounds

670.2M

Previous: 689.6M-2.8%
Expedited Freight Pounds per Day

10.5K

Previous: 10.9K-4.3%
Expedited Freight Total Shipments

783.0K

Previous: 846.0K-7.4%
Expedited Freight Shipments per Day

12.2

Previous: 13.4-9.0%
Expedited Freight Weight per Shipment

856

Previous: 815+5.0%
Expedited Freight Revenue per Hundredweight

$29.70

Previous: $31.52-5.8%
Expedited Freight Revenue per Hundredweight ex Fuel

$23.74

Previous: $23.99-1.0%
Expedited Freight Revenue per Shipment

$254.30

Previous: $256.90-1.0%
Expedited Freight Revenue per Shipment ex Fuel

$203.26

Previous: $195.52+4.0%
Intermodal Drayage Shipments

63.9K

Previous: 65.8K-2.8%
Drayage Revenue per Shipment

$847.00

Previous: $821.00+3.2%
Net Income

-$35.4M

Previous: -$14.7M-140.3%
Operating Income

$75.9M

Previous: $3M+2428.5%

Revenue & EPS history

Forward Air · Revenue · Quarterly

$633M

Q4 2024+87%vs Q4 2023
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

The company is transitioning from integration to transformation, focusing on technology simplification, global shared service efficiencies, and expanding synergistic service offerings in 2025.

Tailwinds

  • Full year 2024 Consolidated EBITDA results were near the top end of the guidance range.
  • Over $100 million in annualized cost synergies were executed in the first year following the Omni transaction, exceeding the committed $75 million.
  • Foundational changes and investments made in 2024 are expected to improve results and benefit the Company for many years.
  • The company is equipped with an enhanced suite of global, vertically-integrated services to meet customer needs.
  • Corrective pricing actions implemented in the Expedited Freight segment during Q4 2024 are beginning to show results, with full run rate expected by the end of February.

Headwinds

  • Net income for Q4 2024 was negative $35.378 million.
  • Cash provided by operating activities for Q4 2024 was negative $30.492 million.
  • Consolidated EBITDA for Q4 2024 decreased by 26.3% compared to Q4 2023.
  • Free cash flow for Q4 2024 was negative $35.098 million.
  • The Expedited Freight segment was negatively impacted by a pricing strategy put in place prior to the acquisition, which focused more on volume than profitability.

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 Q4 2024

Historical avgQ4 2024

+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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