Finance

Jim Blaze writes about the advantages to the railroads of rebuilding locomotives instead of buying new ones.

Recent stabilization in truckload markets with a recovery expected later in the year were some of the takeaways from Wolfe Research’s investor conference.

Covenant Transportation Group sees a breakeven April and noted that May trends have “stabilized” as it moves forward with restructuring efforts.

The more sailings cancelled, the more risk to companies leasing container ships to carriers.

Airlines know 2020 will be financially bleak but are seeing some green shoots of customer activity as encouraging.

Walmart bested analyst expectations as grocery and household items drive comparison sales 10% higher and ecommerce accelerates 74%.

As various parts of the nation and the world begin to open up, there will be logistical and supply chain issues. Darren Prokop explores those issues.

Trucking Freight Futures ended the week on a down note across the board Friday as uncertainty in the market continues to weigh. Friday’s downturn mostly wiped out a recovery in the futures markets week-over-week.

Travel bans, shelter-in-place orders and virtually no demand for rental cars created a domino effect that is hammering the auto industry amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Workflow automation technology company RPA Labs has landed its first round of capital, netting $1.2 million in a pre-seed round. Schematic Ventures led the round, along with PSA UnBoxed (Port […]

European Commission scrutinizing financial incentives from South Korean government

German carrier is cutting costs and counting cash as the economic impact from the pandemic is expected to hit Q2 results.

Cervus Equipment’s Peterbilt dealerships had a strong first quarter, but the company says it expects COVID-19 will hit short-term demand.

Wabash National felt the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter, but the trailer maker said its earlier preparations for a softening market helped offset deeper trouble.

Taiwanese carrier among Asian container shipping lines criticized for government subsidies.

Americold Realty Trust will partner with grocery retailer to provide 500,000 square feet of frozen storage space in two new facilities.

CNBC’s Lori Ann LaRocco writes about the impact of COVID-19 on U.S.-China trade, particularly in regard to the trade war between the two nations.

Are the railroads following Hunter Harrison’s PSR directives? Railroad expert Jim Blaze explores the topic.

Most crops don’t grow without seeds. But how are seeds for commercial farming transported? Darren Prokop explores this topic.

April’s 20% year-over-year declines in Cass data may mark the bottom of the COVID-19 downturn.

The numbers are in – earnings for the quarter have been reported by all the trucking and other freight-related companies for the three months that ended March 31. And what […]

With a June 2 merger vote that would make fuel cell electric truck maker Nikola a public entity, the company’s book value has quadrupled to $12 billion in the last week.

Titanium Transportation Group depends on no single customer for more than 6% of its business. That diversification is paying off during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A U.S. federal court on Monday agreed on an interim basis to Avianca Holdings SA’s initial motions to voluntarily reorganize under court-supervised bankruptcy protection. Latin America’s second-largest airline sought bankruptcy […]

A $750 million external investment this week comes as an extension to Waymo’s $2.25 billion financing earlier in March.

World’s largest box carrier expects capacity cuts to mitigate volume downside.

Stifel’s David Ross announces that he is suspending his rating and estimates on YRC Worldwide and questions the company’s ability to survive.

Titanium Transportation Group reports 13.6% increase in revenue on the strength of its growing brokerage business in the United States and steady performance from trucking.

Bankruptcy law changes passed just in time; will trucking companies use them?

Japanese carrier tempers profitability news with financial concerns.

Freight Futures data to watch today: Spot month futures prices It was a calm start to the week for the Trucking Freight Futures markets as the spot National contract (FUT.VNU202005) […]

Daseke selects current flatbed head to lead operations amid a multi-year restructuring effort.

Brett Hart served six months in 2015-16 as interim CEO of United Airlines while CEO Oscar Munoz recovered from heart surgery.

YRC beats expectations with the benefit of outsized gains on sales. Noting volumes were down 24% in April, management says it likely won’t satisfy debt covenants into 2021 and it opts out of questions on its call.

Agent-based 3PL had been looking for “tuck-in” opportunities.

The dry bulk market is getting hammered again — not a positive signal on the global economy.

Emirates SkyCargo’s business fell in fiscal year 2019-2020, but the airline division is experiencing strong demand for its services during the coronavirus crisis.

It got $10 million that Clyburn maintains is for smaller firms

Diamond S boss sees tanker-market “trough” on the horizon.

The transportation and warehousing sector sheds 10.4% of employees in April as Canadian Trucking Alliance calls for additional federal aid.

“Substantial” federal funding needed to maintain service, board chairman warns.

USA Truck continues to execute on its internal turnaround initiatives, but they have yet to bleed through and provide positive earnings results for the carrier.

Food supply chain warehouse operator Americold Realty Trust beats first-quarter forecasts, reiterates guidance and shakes off meat shortage concerns.

Meanwhile, Uber Eats had a bang-up pandemic-related quarter.

Management says “tough pricing environment” muted operational efficiency initiatives.

There’s still too much oil in the world and tankers are still filling up with the overflow.

The Trucking Freight Futures markets found their footing on Wednesday after falling off a cliff earlier this week as the spot National contract rose a fraction to $1.358 per mile

British Airways and its sister airlines are taking some comfort from increased cargo business and helping keep global supply chains intact, but the dominant passenger business is at least three years away from getting back to pre-crisis levels.

As demand for flatbed capacity sags, Daseke sees strength in some end markets and continues to push forward with a company-wide overhaul.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created choppy conditions in the airfreight market, but air cargo companies like Atlas Air are mostly seeing upside for their business.

Excluding several items, Daseke reported a near break-even first quarter. Demand headwinds in most of the markets it serves have ‘plateaued’ in recent weeks.

It’s aggressively moving away from “perpetual” sales to subscriptions.

Are larger funds now heading for the exits and giving up on tanker stocks?

Interest is rising in Workhorse’s electric truck-based drone delivery system as the company seeks $40 million credit line to scale production.

Canadian e-commerce firm says Q1 saw the largest increase in merchants joining Shopify Fulfillment Network as $1 billion push into Amazon’s territory continues.

The Honolulu-based carrier has used some passenger airplanes to transport face masks from China, as well as food and medical supplies between islands.

ir Transport Services Group is making money from its aircraft leasing and outsourced transportation businesses as express carriers and other customers seek more aircraft to support supply chains.

Public tanker owners post impressive earnings on an ugly day for tanker stocks.

Alaska Air lost $232 million on a net basis in the first quarter, but everything is relative these days and the loss doesn’t look so bad given the state of the airline industry.

The same health crisis that made TravelCenters of America an essential business during the coronavirus pandemic burned into non-fuel revenue in late March, leading to a first-quarter loss.

Nearly 80% of owner-operators and small fleets do not have plan in place, ATRI finds.

Singapore-based container carrier digs out from $586 million fiscal-year loss to report $105 million profit and procures 5,000 40-foot units.

Trucking Freight Futures went off a cliff on Monday, posting the largest single-day drop across the board since launch, as the market recalibrated after the April-to-May contract roll.

ArcBest managed through the first quarter largely unscathed by the coronavirus outbreak. That has all changed in April as revenue is off 20% year-over-year.

Kirby Corp pulls 2020 guidance but inland barge utilization is still strong at 90%.

ArcBest sees “one of the best first quarters” in company history, but COVID-19-related demand headwinds took a toll on April’s results.

XPO Logistics Inc. (NYSE: XPO) on Monday reported first-quarter revenue of $3.86 billion, down from $4.12 billion in the first quarter of 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March derailed […]

The railcar lessor is looking for further add-ons to its fleet as competitors face pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic and the volatile crude oil market.

Trump says meeting with administration officials “will work out well.”

Freight Futures data to watch today: May “spot” month settlement prices Friday marked the first trading session for the May “spot” month Trucking Freight Futures contracts. The spot National contract […]

Multimillion-dollar backlog will help the rail equipment and locomotive manufacturer stay afloat, executives said.

Air Canada is trying to navigate the darkest period in aviation history through cost cuts, financing and new cargo operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic dented volume growth in the first quarter for the privately owned railroad.

Volkswagen truck holding company Traton Group urges a Euro-style “cash for clunkers” program to boost new truck purchases following lower first-quarter sales, profits and orders.

United Airlines is steeling itself for a worst-case scenario that leisure and business travelers will not resume flying anytime soon, even with coronavirus restrictions lifted.

Like all industries, the coronavirus has impacted railroads. What should they be doing to gain market share and better serve their customers?

Thursday’s session was the last trading session for the April Trucking Freight Futures contracts, and prices were lower across the board for a seventh consecutive session as the spot National contract finished down 0.7% to close at $1.320 per mile.

United Airlines isn’t sugar-coating the airline industry’s economic reality. United expects to survive the coronavirus crisis, but business will be slim for months to come.

Company reports 30% plunge in revenue during month, but CEO Tim Phillips hopes the resumption of auto and heavy truck plants will bring some relief this month.

Hub Group’s first quarter miss included several one-off expenses unlikely to recur. However, volume headwinds are expected to persist in the near-term.

Several steps being taken will affect the supply chain

ULH withdraws 2020 outlook and suspends dividends after slowdowns in retail and manufacturing weigh on first-quarter financial results.

From slashing salaries to borrowing money to get to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, suppliers Meritor and Dana are keeping electrification programs on track while slowly restarting production.

The drop in North American rail traffic could push railcar leasing rates lower.

Combined transportation and logistics powerhouse grows gross profit despite impact from COVID-19.

Trucking Freight Futures prices continued to tumble and were lower across the board for a sixth consecutive session on Wednesday as the spot National contract closed lower to $1.329 per mile.

A better than expected first quarter yields to expectations that a recovery may not occur until June. Some of Schneider’s customers are starting up again, but demand in May will likely be choppy.

While others have seen a decline in shipments, April held firm: CEO

Orbcomm operates in transportation and distribution, heavy equipment, industrial fixed assets, oil and gas, maritime, mining, and government.

American is slashing expenses, but not fast enough to stop big profit losses. Here are the details on its first quarter and what it expects going forward.

Schneider reports TL volumes are down upper single-digit percentages in late April, but notes that some of its customers shutdown by COVID-19 are set to come back online.

Fewer brokers and more engineers make operating costs less flexible, and we question the “take market share” mantra.

Boeing took a big loss in the first quarter and the rest of the year doesn’t bode better for a company plagued by ongoing technical problems with key products, and now facing little demand for aircraft.

Regulatory credit sales and streamlined operations helped drive the electric vehicle maker to its third consecutive quarterly profit; CEO Elon Musk rages against the coronavirus lockdown

Uncertainty beyond loss-making second quarter concerns Daimler leaders, though robust supply chain and cash position suggest fast production ramp-up when economy recovers

Trucking Freight Futures were lower across the board for a fifth consecutive session on Tuesday, as freight volumes and the uncertainty of economic recovery weighed on the market causing the spot National contract to fall 0.74% and close at $1.339 per mile.

The cuts to train starts are part of the railroad’s wider objective to implement precision scheduled railroading.

Accelerated depreciation it set at a “trough” level from 2002

Saia’s first quarter performance placed its recent terminal expansion campaign on full display. Unfortunately, COVID-19 headwinds will mask near-term results.

Darren Prokop explores the reasons for the huge drop in oil prices and what the ramifications are because of the drop.