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Forward Air Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Operating income rose year over year: Income from operations was $20.4 million against $4.8 million a year earlier; operating margin was 3.5 percent against 0.8 percent. Source
  • Expedited Freight EBITDA rose: Segment Reported EBITDA was $28 million, a 10.4 percent margin, against $26 million a year earlier and $25 million in the fourth quarter 2025. Source
  • Intermodal EBITDA fell on port softness: Intermodal Reported EBITDA was $5 million against $10 million; management cited reduced port activity and softness with key customers. Source
  • Major customer in transition talks: The company is in active discussions with one of its largest customers about moving a significant portion of its business to other providers; no formal termination notices have been delivered. Source
  • Liquidity rose to $402 million: Liquidity was $141 million in cash plus $261 million of credit facility availability, against $367 million at the end of 2025. Source
  • No sale of the company: The strategic review begun in January 2025 received no actionable proposals for a sale of the Company, given developments in the customer relationship. Source
  • Non-core asset sales to proceed: The board decided to pursue sales of non-core assets to delever the balance sheet and focus services on service-sensitive logistics. Source

“During the first quarter, we stayed focused on the customer and providing award-winning service”

Shawn Stewart, President & Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The board decided to pursue a sale of non-core assets: the Intermodal segment and two smaller legacy Omni businesses. Source
  • New: The company disclosed active discussions with one of its largest customers about transitioning a significant portion of its business to other providers. Source

Results and operating income

  • Operating income rose year over year: Income from operations was $20.4 million against $4.8 million a year earlier; operating margin was 3.5 percent against 0.8 percent. Source
  • Revenue declined 5.1 percent: Operating revenues were $582.0 million against $613.3 million a year earlier, a decrease of 5.1 percent. Source
  • Net loss per share narrowed: Net loss was $40.2 million against $61.2 million; net loss per diluted share was $1.09 against $1.68. Source
  • Consolidated EBITDA declined $3 million: Consolidated EBITDA, the term loan agreement measure, was $70.4 million against $73.3 million; the last twelve months figure was $304 million. Source

Segments: Expedited, Omni, Intermodal

  • Expedited Freight EBITDA rose: Segment Reported EBITDA was $28 million, a 10.4 percent margin, against $26 million a year earlier and $25 million in the fourth quarter 2025. Source
  • Omni EBITDA flat, margin higher: Omni Reported EBITDA was $25 million against $26 million; margin was 8.3 percent against 7.9 percent, which management attributed to higher contract logistics volume at a more favorable margin. Source
  • Omni ground revenue fell 21 percent: Omni ground revenue was $136.0 million against $172.1 million; contract logistics revenue rose 30.0 percent to $104.2 million. Source
  • Intermodal EBITDA fell on port softness: Intermodal Reported EBITDA was $5 million against $10 million; management cited reduced port activity and softness with key customers. Source

“As a result of tight control on costs and reduction in advisors and consultants compared to a year ago”

Jamie Pierson, Chief Financial Officer

Products and customers

  • Truckload revenue rose, network fell: Expedited Freight network revenue was $188.2 million, down 1.0 percent; truckload revenue rose 59.3 percent to $62.5 million. Source
  • Major customer in transition talks: The company is in active discussions with one of its largest customers about moving a significant portion of its business to other providers; no formal termination notices have been delivered. Source
  • Customer revenue about $250 million: That customer represented approximately $250 million of fiscal 2025 revenue and is not a customer of the Less Than Truckload or Intermodal businesses. Source
  • Transition expected to start in 2027: Management anticipates that most of the business to be transitioned will start in early 2027 and continue through the rest of that year. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Salaries and benefits fell: Salaries, wages and employee benefits were $115.6 million against $141.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • Expedited purchased transportation share rose: Expedited Freight purchased transportation was 52.0 percent of segment revenue, against 48.4 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Other Operations loss narrowed: The Other Operations loss was $1.6 million against $19.8 million; the reconciliation adds back a $16.7 million change in TRA liability. Source

Demand and volumes

  • Expedited tonnage and shipments fell: Tonnage was 598,454 thousand pounds, down 2.0 percent; shipments were 690 thousand, down 5.1 percent; weight per shipment rose 3.2 percent. Source
  • Revenue per hundredweight edged up: Revenue per hundredweight was $31.45, up 0.8 percent; excluding fuel it was $24.50, down 1.1 percent. Source
  • Drayage shipments down a fifth: Intermodal drayage shipments were 51,476, down 20.1 percent; drayage revenue per shipment was $876, down 0.8 percent. Source

Liquidity, cash and capital spending

  • Liquidity rose to $402 million: Liquidity was $141 million in cash plus $261 million of credit facility availability, against $367 million at the end of 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Cash provided by operating activities was $45.7 million against $27.6 million; free cash flow was $40.2 million against $16.4 million. Source
  • Capital spending lower: Purchases of property and equipment were $6.9 million against $11.9 million; proceeds from equipment sales were $1.4 million. Source

Strategy and portfolio review

  • No sale of the company: The strategic review begun in January 2025 received no actionable proposals for a sale of the Company, given developments in the customer relationship. Source
  • Non-core asset sales to proceed: The board decided to pursue sales of non-core assets to delever the balance sheet and focus services on service-sensitive logistics. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Customer scope and timing still open: The parties continue to discuss the scope and timing of the business to be transitioned; the company is exploring all options to retain as much as possible. Source
  • Board open to further value options: The board said it remains open to, and will consider, all options to enhance shareholder value beyond the planned non-core asset sales. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Expedited Freight tonnage Source598,454 thousand pounds, down 2.0 percent
Expedited Freight shipments Source690 thousand, down 5.1 percent
Revenue per hundredweight Source$31.45, up 0.8 percent
Revenue per shipment Source$272.57, up 4.0 percent
Fuel costs Source$4.9 million against $5.6 million
Intermodal drayage shipments Source51,476, down 20.1 percent

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Port activity and softness with key customers continued to hurt Intermodal results during the quarter. Source
  • Demand: A large customer is moving a significant part of its business to other providers, with no formal termination notices delivered. Source
  • External: Management described a prolonged, multi-year freight recession as a factor in the business environment. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the team has made extensive progress on its transformation plan; no measured target or status against a dated milestone was given. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.