ArcBest Announces First Quarter 2026 Results
ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB), a leader in supply chain logistics, announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. First quarter 2026 revenue totaled $998.8 million, compared to $96...
- Delivered growth in Asset-Based shipments and tonnage and improved Asset-Light profitability
- Returned more than $10 million to shareholders through a balanced capital allocation approach
FORT SMITH, Ark.: ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB), a leader in supply chain logistics, announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
First quarter 2026 revenue totaled $998.8 million, compared to $967.1 million in the prior-year period. Net loss was $1.0 million, or a loss of $0.05 per diluted share, versus net income of $3.1 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2025. On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $7.2 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, compared to $11.9 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, in the prior year.
“We began 2026 with growth in Asset-Based shipments and tonnage and continued improvement in Asset-Light profitability,” said Seth Runser, ArcBest President and CEO. “Our teams continue to deliver a premium experience for our customers despite a dynamic and uncertain environment, and their alignment around our strategy and priorities gives us confidence in our ability to execute and deliver on our long-term targets.”
Results of Operations Comparisons
Asset-Based
First Quarter 2026 Versus First Quarter 2025
- Revenue of $655.0 million compared to $646.3 million, a per-day increase of 2.2 percent
- Tonnage per day increase of 6.5 percent
- Shipments per day increase of 1.8 percent
- Billed revenue per shipment increase of 0.6 percent
- Billed revenue per hundredweight decrease of 3.9 percent
- Weight per shipment increase of 4.6 percent
- Operating income of $17.5 million and an operating ratio of 97.3 percent, compared to $26.4 million and 95.9 percent
Tonnage growth was driven by higher shipment volumes and an increase in weight per shipment, reflecting changes in freight profile. Revenue per shipment benefited from the higher weight per shipment, partially offset by lower revenue per hundredweight as the freight profile shifted toward heavier shipments.
Customer contract renewals and deferred pricing agreements averaged a 6.3 percent increase during the first quarter, and LTL industry pricing remains rational.
Operating expenses increased due to additional labor supporting shipment growth, annual union wage adjustments, increased fuel prices, and higher equipment depreciation.
On a sequential basis, first quarter daily revenue was down 1.5 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2025. Tonnage per day increased 1.0 percent, driven by a 2.6 percent increase in weight per shipment, partially offset by a 1.6 percent decline in daily shipments. Billed revenue per shipment increased 1.7 percent due to the heavier freight profile and increased fuel surcharge revenue, offset in part by a modest decline in revenue per hundredweight reflecting the changes in freight profile. The operating ratio increased by 110 basis points, an improvement relative to typical seasonality due in part to a softer-than-normal fourth quarter.
Asset-Light
First Quarter 2026 Versus First Quarter 2025
- Revenue of $377.7 million compared to $356.0 million, a per-day increase of 7.0 percent
- Shipments per day increase of 9.8 percent
- Revenue per shipment decrease of 2.6 percent
- Purchased transportation expense was 86.2 percent of revenue compared to 85.6 percent
- Operating income of $0.2 million compared to operating loss of $4.4 million
- On a non-GAAP basis, operating income of $2.8 million compared to operating loss of $1.2 million
- Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”), as defined in the attached non-GAAP reconciliation tables, of $4.2 million compared to $0.2 million
Revenue increased primarily due to shipment growth led by Managed, which more than offset a strategic reduction in less profitable truckload volumes. Revenue per shipment decreased, as higher rates related to tightening capacity and increased fuel costs were more than offset by the higher mix of Managed business, which typically carries smaller shipment sizes and lower revenue per shipment. Revenue growth combined with productivity improvements drove the operating income in the quarter, compared to a loss in the prior year.
Compared sequentially to the fourth quarter of 2025, first quarter daily revenue increased 4.3 percent reflecting a 7.4 percent increase in shipments per day, partially offset by a 2.9 percent decline in revenue per shipment. Revenue growth and productivity improvements resulted in non-GAAP operating income, compared to break even in the previous quarter.
Conference Call
ArcBest will host a conference call with company executives to discuss its quarterly results today, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. CT). Interested parties may listen by dialing (800) 715‑9871 and entering conference ID 6423434, or by accessing the webcast on ArcBest’s website at arcb.com. Presentation slides to accompany the call are included in Exhibit 99.3 of the Form 8-K filed on April 28, 2026, will be available for download on the company’s website prior to the start of the call, and will be included in the webcast. A replay of the call will be available through May 12, 2026, by dialing (800) 770-2030 and entering conference ID 6423434. The webcast replay will also be accessible on ArcBest’s website.
About ArcBest
ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB) is a multibillion-dollar integrated logistics company that helps keep the global supply chain moving. Founded in 1923 and now with 14,000 employees across 250 campuses and service centers, the company is a logistics powerhouse, using its technology, expertise and scale to connect shippers with the solutions they need - from ground, air and ocean transportation to fully managed supply chains. ArcBest has a long history of innovation that is enriched by deep customer relationships. With a commitment to helping customers navigate supply chain challenges now and in the future, the company is developing ground-breaking technology like Vaux™, one of the TIME Best Inventions of 2023. For more information, visit arcb.com.
The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, statements regarding (i) our expectations about our intrinsic value or our prospects for growth and value creation and (ii) our financial outlook, position, strategies, goals, and expectations. Terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “designed,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “foresee,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “scheduled,” “seek,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions and the negatives of such terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions, and expectations based on currently available information, are not guarantees of future performance, and involve certain risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control). Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, we cannot provide assurance that our expectations will prove to be correct and caution the reader not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in these statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to: data breaches, cybersecurity incidents, and/or interruptions or failures of our information systems that we depend on, including software programs and applications provided by third parties; untimely or ineffective development and implementation of, or failure to realize the potential benefits associated with, new or enhanced technology or processes; the loss or reduction of business from multiple large customers or an overall reduction in our customer base; the timing and performance of growth initiatives and the ability to manage our cost structure; the cost, integration, and performance of future acquisitions and the inability to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition; unsolicited takeover proposals, proxy contests, and other proposals or actions by activist investors; maintaining our corporate reputation and intellectual property rights; failure to achieve market acceptance or generate adequate returns through our VauxTM technologies; establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting; disruptions in domestic or global manufacturing activity, supply chains, and related changes in spending, resulting in material reductions in freight volumes; competitive initiatives and pricing pressures; increased prices for and decreased availability of equipment, including new revenue equipment, and higher costs of equipment-related operating expenses such as maintenance, fuel, and related taxes; availability of fuel, the effect of volatility in fuel prices and the associated changes in fuel surcharges on securing increases in base freight rates, and the inability to collect fuel surcharges; relationships with employees, including unions, and our ability to attract, retain, and upskill employees; unfavorable terms of, or the inability to reach agreement on, future collective bargaining agreements or a workforce stoppage by our employees covered under ABF Freight’s collective bargaining agreement; union employee wages and benefits, including changes in required contributions to multiemployer plans; availability and cost of reliable third-party services; our ability to secure independent owner-operators and/or operational or regulatory issues related to our use of their services; litigation or claims asserted against us; the effects, costs and potential liabilities related to changes in and compliance with, or violation of, existing or future governmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, environmental laws and regulations, such as emissions-control regulations and fuel efficiency regulations; default on covenants of financing arrangements and the availability and terms of future financing arrangements; our ability to generate sufficient cash from operations to support significant ongoing capital expenditure requirements and other business initiatives; self-insurance claims, insurance premium costs, and loss of our ability to self-insure; potential impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill and intangible assets; external events which may adversely affect us or the third parties who provide services for us, for which our business continuity plans may not adequately prepare us, including, but not limited to, the occurrence of natural disasters, public health crises, geopolitical conflicts, acts of terrorism or war, cybersecurity incidents, or trade restrictions; general economic conditions and related shifts in market demand that impact the performance and needs of industries we serve and/or limit our customers’ access to adequate financial resources; seasonal fluctuations, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, and climate change; and other financial, operational, and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in ArcBest Corporation’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Financial Data and Operating Statistics
The following tables show financial data and operating statistics on ArcBest® and its reportable segments.
ARCBEST CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS | |||||||||
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| Three Months Ended |
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| March 31 |
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| 2026 |
| 2025 |
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| (Unaudited) | |||||||
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| ($ thousands, except share and per share data) | |||||||
REVENUES |
| $ | 998,786 |
|
| $ | 967,077 |
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OPERATING EXPENSES |
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| 995,356 |
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| 960,447 |
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OPERATING INCOME |
|
| 3,430 |
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| 6,630 |
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OTHER INCOME (COSTS) |
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Interest and dividend income |
|
| 676 |
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| 1,150 |
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Interest and other related financing costs |
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| (4,288 | ) |
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| (2,755 | ) |
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Other, net |
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| (1,152 | ) |
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| (851 | ) |
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| (4,764 | ) |
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| (2,456 | ) |
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INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES |
|
| (1,334 | ) |
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| 4,174 |
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INCOME TAX PROVISION (BENEFIT) |
|
| (297 | ) |
|
| 1,043 |
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NET INCOME (LOSS) |
| $ | (1,037 | ) |
| $ | 3,131 |
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EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE |
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Basic |
| $ | (0.05 | ) |
| $ | 0.13 |
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Diluted |
| $ | (0.05 | ) |
| $ | 0.13 |
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AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING |
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Basic |
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| 22,338,397 |
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| 23,198,805 |
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Diluted |
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| 22,338,397 |
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| 23,272,766 |
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ARCBEST CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | |||||||
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| March 31 | December 31 | |||||
| 2026 | 2025 | |||||
| (Unaudited) | Note | |||||
| ($ thousands, except share data) | ||||||
ASSETS |
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CURRENT ASSETS |
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Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 64,057 |
| $ | 102,030 |
| |
Short-term investments |
| 22,390 |
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| 22,204 |
| |
Accounts receivable, less allowances (2026 - $8,890; 2025 - $7,763) |
| 425,461 |
|
| 370,969 |
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Other accounts receivable, less allowances (2026 - $718; 2025 - $656) |
| 29,301 |
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| 26,295 |
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Prepaid expenses |
| 49,284 |
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| 49,399 |
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Prepaid and refundable income taxes |
| 42,026 |
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| 45,405 |
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Other |
| 10,713 |
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| 9,761 |
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TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS |
| 643,232 |
|
| 626,063 |
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PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT |
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Land and structures |
| 570,752 |
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| 566,071 |
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Revenue equipment |
| 1,199,648 |
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| 1,201,386 |
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Service, office, and other equipment |
| 362,080 |
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| 363,340 |
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Software |
| 194,240 |
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| 190,673 |
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Leasehold improvements |
| 43,424 |
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| 41,531 |
| |
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| 2,370,144 |
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| 2,363,001 |
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Less allowances for depreciation and amortization |
| 1,234,588 |
|
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