/J_B_%20Hunt%20Transport%20Services%2C%20Inc_%20trucking-by%20Sundry%20Photography%20via%20iStock.jpg){kind=spacer}
Lowell, Arizona-based J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT) is a freight & logistics company. Valued at $16.4 billion by market cap, J.B. Hunt focuses on transportation, delivery, and logistic services in North America. The company is expected to announce its fiscal Q2 earnings after the market closes on Tuesday, July 16.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect J.B. Hunt to report a profit of $1.57 per share, down 13.3% from $1.81 per share reported in the year-ago quarter. The company has failed to meet Wall Street’s EPS estimates for the last four quarters. Its EPS for the last reported quarter declined by 35.5% year over year to $1.22 per share and was 20.3% lower than the consensus estimate. The company also reported an 8.8% decrease in revenue compared to Q1 2023.
Looking ahead to fiscal 2024, analysts expect J.B. Hunt to report an EPS of $6.48, down 7% from $6.97 in fiscal 2023. Its fiscal 2025 EPS is expected to grow 30.9% year over year to $8.48.
JBHT stock is down 20.5% on a YTD basis, substantially underperforming the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 16.1% gains and S&P 500 Industrial Sector SPDR’s (XLI) 6.7% returns over the same time frame.
JBHT released its Q1 earnings report on April 16, which disappointed the market and caused the stock to decline for three consecutive trading sessions. The company missed both its top and bottom-line estimates and reported a decrease in revenue across four out of five segments. Notably, the Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS) segment saw a 26% year-over-year drop. The Intermodal (JBI) segment, which generates nearly half of the company's revenue, fell by 9.4% annually.
However, J.B. Hunt increased its quarterly dividend payouts by 2.4% to $0.43 in 2024, which is impressive.
The consensus opinion on J.B. Hunt stock is moderately bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of the 18 analysts covering the stock, 10 recommend a “Strong Buy” rating, one suggests a “Moderate Buy” rating, and seven suggest a “Hold” rating. This configuration is more bullish than two months ago when 12 analysts advised “Strong Buy.”
The average target price for J.B. Hunt is $191.06, indicating a potential upside of 20.4% from the current price levels.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
