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Valued at a market cap of $17.2 billion, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT) is one of the leading players in the transportation and logistics industry. Headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas, the company specializes in intermodal services, dedicated contract services, truckload transportation, and integrated logistics solutions. The company is scheduled to release its Q4 earnings on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect the trucking and logistics giant to report a profit of $1.66 per share, up 12.9% from $1.47 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company missed the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while beating on one other occasion.
The company reported an EPS of $1.49 in the most recent quarter, surpassing the consensus EPS estimate by 4.9%. J.B. Hunt Transport's Q3 earnings beat expectations primarily due to robust demand in the Intermodal division.
For fiscal 2024, analysts expect the company to report EPS of $5.68, down 18.5% from $6.97 in fiscal 2023. However, in fiscal 2025, EPS is expected to rebound, growing by 28.9% year-over-year to $7.32.
JBHT declined 14.6%, underperforming the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 23.3% gains over the past 52 weeks. Similarly, it lagged behind the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLI) 15.6% gains over the same time frame.
On Oct. 15, J.B. Hunt Transport released its Q3 earnings report, with shares rising 3.2% in the next trading session. The company reported $3.07 billion in revenue, a 3% year-over-year decline but surpassing analysts' expectations of $3.04 billion.
Operating income dropped 7% to $224.1 million compared to $241.7 million in Q3 2023. J.B. Hunt Transport has recently underperformed the market; however, it continues to demonstrate resilience through consistent demand in its Intermodal division and efforts to navigate cost challenges.
Analysts' consensus rating on J.B. Hunt Transport stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Out of 21 analysts covering the stock, opinions include 13 "Strong Buys," one "Moderate Buy," and seven "Holds."
The mean price target for JBHT is $191.70, suggesting a potential upside of just 12.3% from current levels.
