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Rush Enterprises Inc. \Tx\: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue down, net income and EPS up: Revenue was $1.68 billion, net income $61.5 million and diluted EPS $0.77, against $1.85 billion of revenue, $60.3 million of net income and $0.73 diluted EPS a year earlier. Source
  • Industry Class 8 retail sales down 21%: Industry new US Class 8 retail sales, per ACT Research, fell 21.0% year over year to 41,023 units in the first quarter. Source
  • Aftermarket revenue edged higher: Parts, service and collision revenue reached $627.2 million, up 1.3%. Management said aftermarket accounted for about 66.1% of gross profit in the quarter. Source
  • Medium-duty orders arrived in first quarter: Management said large medium-duty fleets usually order in the fourth quarter. In late 2025 that activity did not occur, and orders came in early 2026, affecting medium-duty results. Source
  • Order intake and quoting rose: Management said quoting activity increased through the quarter, particularly among large fleet customers, and that order intake rose over the same period. Source
  • Louisiana and Mississippi acquisition signed: The company signed an asset purchase agreement for five Peterbilt dealerships in Louisiana, a Peterbilt in McComb, Mississippi and a TRP location in Columbia, Mississippi. Source

“We believe the first quarter represents the trough of this current downcycle, and while conditions remain challenging, we are beginning to see early indicators of gradual improvement”

W.M. "Rusty" Rush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rush Enterprises, Inc.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
US Class 8 retail truck sales (ACT Research forecast cited by the company) Source2026 full year224,800 unitsRaised from 211,300 units
US Class 4-7 retail commercial vehicle sales (ACT Research forecast cited by the company) Source2026 full yearapproximately 200,500 unitsLowered from approximately 218,225 units
Rush medium-duty sales Sourceremainder of 2026roughly in line with 2025 salesNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The company signed an asset purchase agreement for Louisiana and Mississippi dealership locations, expected to begin operating as Rush Truck Centers within a few months. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue down, net income and EPS up: Revenue was $1.68 billion, net income $61.5 million and diluted EPS $0.77, against $1.85 billion of revenue, $60.3 million of net income and $0.73 diluted EPS a year earlier. Source
  • Lower truck demand drove revenue decline: Management attributed lower revenue to the prolonged freight recession and resulting lower demand for new commercial vehicles, while aftermarket and leasing held up. Source
  • Earnings held up through expense control: Management said diluted EPS rose from the prior-year quarter despite lower revenue, crediting expense management and the consistency of aftermarket and leasing operations. Source
  • Operating income lower year over year: Operating income was $82.2 million against $91.9 million a year earlier. Interest expense, net was $6.4 million against $12.9 million. Source

Commercial vehicle sales by class

  • Industry Class 8 retail sales down 21%: Industry new US Class 8 retail sales, per ACT Research, fell 21.0% year over year to 41,023 units in the first quarter. Source
  • Rush Class 8 US units down 6%: The company sold 2,964 new US Class 8 trucks in the quarter, a 6.0% decrease, equal to 7.2% of the US Class 8 market. Canada sales were 71 units, a 1.5% share. Source
  • Outperformance credited to execution: Management said Rush significantly outperformed the market in new Class 8 sales, citing strong execution, appropriate inventory levels and the diversity of its customer base. Source
  • Medium-duty industry and Rush volumes lower: Industry US Class 4-7 retail sales fell 13.9% to 49,079 units. Rush sold 2,035 new US Class 4-7 vehicles, down 36.5%, a 4.1% share of the market. Source
  • Used unit sales rose 5.4%: The company sold 1,865 used commercial vehicles, up 5.4% on the first quarter of 2025. Canadian Class 5-7 new sales were 134 units, a 4.1% share. Source

“Our continued focus on aftermarket products and services, along with our leasing and rental operations and diligent expense management, helped support our financial performance during a quarter with significantly reduced commercial vehicle sales activity.”

W.M. "Rusty" Rush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rush Enterprises, Inc.

Aftermarket and leasing

  • Aftermarket revenue edged higher: Parts, service and collision revenue reached $627.2 million, up 1.3%. Management said aftermarket accounted for about 66.1% of gross profit in the quarter. Source
  • Aftermarket initiatives gaining traction: Management said enhanced inspections, improved parts delivery and a focus on customer uptime are gaining traction, and expects aftermarket demand to improve gradually through 2026. Source
  • Leasing and rental revenue rose: Leasing and rental revenue was $92.3 million, up 2.2%. Management said full-service leasing demand is healthy as customers replace aging equipment ahead of emissions-related cost increases. Source
  • Rental demand below historical levels: Rental demand stayed below historical levels but improved through the quarter. Management expects rental utilization to keep rising through the year. Source

Costs and margins

  • Absorption ratio lower year over year: The absorption ratio was 126.9%, against 128.6% a year earlier. The company defines it as parts, service and collision gross profit measured against dealership overhead. Source
  • Selling and admin expense lower: Selling, general and administrative expense was $242.6 million, down from $248.8 million. Depreciation and amortization rose to $18.7 million from $17.3 million. Source
  • Income tax provision lower: The income tax provision was $13.7 million, against $17.9 million a year earlier. Net income before noncontrolling interest was $61.7 million. Source

“We remain confident that as market conditions improve, demand will return”

W.M. "Rusty" Rush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rush Enterprises, Inc.

Products and customers

  • Medium-duty orders arrived in first quarter: Management said large medium-duty fleets usually order in the fourth quarter. In late 2025 that activity did not occur, and orders came in early 2026, affecting medium-duty results. Source
  • Heavy and light units up or mixed: Heavy-duty deliveries were 3,035 against 3,222 and light-duty 516 against 470. Medium-duty deliveries were 2,169 against 3,329 in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Used truck demand improved late quarter: Management said used truck demand improved late in the quarter on stronger spot rates and tighter capacity, and expects that momentum to continue. Source

Demand and order intake

  • Order intake and quoting rose: Management said quoting activity increased through the quarter, particularly among large fleet customers, and that order intake rose over the same period. Source
  • Freight and emissions drove new orders: Management attributed the rise in new Class 8 orders mainly to improving freight conditions and the upcoming change in emissions regulations. Source
  • Customer sentiment improved in quarter: Management said freight rates began to improve modestly, miles driven increased and customer sentiment generally improved during the quarter. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Quarterly dividend of $0.19: The board declared $0.19 per share, payable June 10, 2026 to holders of record on May 12, 2026. The prior-year quarter showed $0.18 per share. Source
  • Dividends paid $14.7 million: Cash dividends paid during the quarter totaled $14.7 million. Source
  • Adjusted net cash position: Adjusted net cash, a non-GAAP measure, was $236.3 million at March 31, 2026, compared with $225.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Floor plan notes steady: Floor plan notes payable were $919.2 million, against $918.0 million at December 31, 2025. The company uses these notes to finance new and used inventory. Source
  • Diluted share count lower: Weighted average diluted shares were 79.9 million, against 82.4 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy, network and people

  • Louisiana and Mississippi acquisition signed: The company signed an asset purchase agreement for five Peterbilt dealerships in Louisiana, a Peterbilt in McComb, Mississippi and a TRP location in Columbia, Mississippi. Source
  • Network expansion rationale: Management said the deal extends the network in strategic markets and broadens customer solutions, with the aim of capturing market share and supporting long-term growth. Source
  • 2025 network additions cited: The prior release listed two IC Bus dealerships in Ontario added during 2025, plus a full-service Peterbilt dealership in Tennessee.
  • Employees credited for execution: Management thanked employees for their focus on execution, operational discipline and service, which it called the foundation of performance in challenging conditions. Source
  • PacLease named franchise of year: Management recognized the Rush Truck Leasing PacLease team, named PacLease North American Franchise of the Year. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 April 2026

  • Dealership acquisition expected to close: The company expects to complete the Louisiana and Mississippi acquisition and begin operating the locations as Rush Truck Centers within a few months. Source
  • Dividend payment date: The $0.19 per share dividend is payable June 10, 2026, to shareholders of record as of May 12, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Inventory Source$1,640,077 thousand at March 31, 2026, up from $1,534,471 thousand at December 31, 2025
Gross profit Source$343,800 thousand on total revenue of $1,684,185 thousand
Store openings and closings Sourcenone reported; seven locations under asset purchase agreement, not yet operating as Rush Truck Centers

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said economic conditions, global events and significantly increased fuel prices are weighing on the market. Source
  • Demand: Management described new commercial vehicle sales as at historically low levels, reflecting the freight recession, excess capacity and broader economic uncertainty. Source
  • Operational: Medium-duty results were affected by the timing of orders and deliveries among a number of large fleet customers. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release expected used sales volumes to improve in 2026. This release reports used unit volumes and late-quarter demand gains without restating the expectation's status.
  • Not stated: The prior release expected first-quarter industry conditions to remain challenging. This release describes them as challenging but does not state whether the expectation was met.

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.