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Schneider National, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 lowered. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Income from operations fell 18%: Operating revenues were $1,452.4 million against $1,315.7 million. Income from operations was $35.3 million, down $7.8 million from $43.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cowan acquisition aided the quarter: The company said the quarter benefited from the Cowan Systems acquisition and from ongoing cost, productivity and revenue initiatives. Source
  • Truckload revenue up 17%: Truckload revenue rose 17% to $624.5 million on a 22% rise in Dedicated volume tied to Cowan. Truckload income from operations fell 16% to $19.8 million on salaries, insurance and depreciation costs. Source
  • Claims costs above prior guidance: Claims costs were $16.0 million, or $0.07 per share, above previous guidance, and offset the benefit of cost, productivity and revenue initiatives. Source
  • July strength faded through quarter: Market strength in late July faded as the quarter progressed; August and September trends were largely sub-seasonal, management said. Source
  • Free cash flow down $37.3 million: Free cash flow was $76.1 million against $113.4 million a year earlier. Net capital expenditures were $108.1 million against $93.0 million. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance cut to $0.70: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance was lowered to about $0.70 from $0.75 - $0.95 in the second-quarter release. Source

“though we remain encouraged by the traction we are seeing in several of our key initiatives”

Mark Rourke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Schneider

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted diluted earnings per share SourceFull year 2025approximately $0.70Lowered from $0.75 - $0.95
Net capital expenditures SourceFull year 2025approximately $300 millionLowered from $325 - $375 million
Effective tax rate SourceFull year 2025approximately 24.0%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance for 2025 was cut to about $0.70 from $0.75 - $0.95. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Net capital expenditures guidance for 2025 was cut to about $300 million from $325 - $375 million. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Income from operations fell 18%: Operating revenues were $1,452.4 million against $1,315.7 million. Income from operations was $35.3 million, down $7.8 million from $43.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cowan acquisition aided the quarter: The company said the quarter benefited from the Cowan Systems acquisition and from ongoing cost, productivity and revenue initiatives. Source
  • Adjusted EPS $0.12 against $0.18: Diluted EPS was $0.11 against $0.17 a year earlier; adjusted diluted EPS was $0.12 against $0.18. Source

Segments and regions

  • Truckload revenue up 17%: Truckload revenue rose 17% to $624.5 million on a 22% rise in Dedicated volume tied to Cowan. Truckload income from operations fell 16% to $19.8 million on salaries, insurance and depreciation costs. Source
  • Truckload operating ratio rose 130bp: Truckload operating ratio was 96.8% against 95.5%, an increase of 130 basis points. Management attributed the rise to salaries, insurance, new-startup friction and depreciation. Source
  • Intermodal revenue up 6% on volume: Intermodal revenue rose 6% to $281.4 million on 10% volume growth. Revenue per order fell 2%, mainly on shorter length of haul; income from operations rose 7% to $16.8 million. Source
  • Logistics income fell on brokerage: Logistics income from operations fell 16% to $6.4 million, driven by lower brokerage volume. Cowan revenue and Power Only net revenue per order partly offset the decline. Source

“While we look forward to transitioning to a more supportive market”

Mark Rourke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Schneider

Customers and volumes

  • Dedicated truck count up 28%: Dedicated average truck count grew 28% year over year, and Network average truck count grew slightly. Dedicated volume rose 22%, mainly through the Cowan acquisition. Source
  • New Dedicated wins accelerated: Dedicated wins with new customers accelerated versus the first half of 2025. Network finished bid season with low-to-mid single digit percentage increases. Source
  • Mexico intermodal growth accelerated: Intermodal volume growth continued, especially in Mexico, where the growth rate accelerated from the prior quarter. Source
  • Logistics productivity and Power Only: Logistics productivity improved year over year, and Power Only volumes remained resilient, management said. Source

Costs and insurance claims

  • Claims costs above prior guidance: Claims costs were $16.0 million, or $0.07 per share, above previous guidance, and offset the benefit of cost, productivity and revenue initiatives. Source
  • Salaries rose with Cowan headcount: Truckload salaries and wages rose, mainly from headcount added through the Cowan acquisition. Consolidated salaries, wages and benefits were $402.6 million against $347.8 million. Source
  • Depreciation and equipment costs rose: Truckload depreciation and equipment costs rose on higher equipment counts from Cowan. Consolidated depreciation and amortization was $112.9 million against $101.9 million. Source

“However, recent sub-seasonal trends are likely to persist for the balance of the year.”

Darrell Campbell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Schneider

Margins and pricing

  • Operating ratio rose 90 basis points: Operating ratio was 97.6% against 96.7%, up 90 basis points. Adjusted operating ratio was 97.0% against 96.2%, up 80 basis points. Source
  • Truckload revenue per truck slipped 1%: Truckload revenue per truck per week was $3,923, down $48 or 1%, from lower productivity and friction tied to new Dedicated startups. Source
  • Intermodal and logistics ratios moved: Intermodal operating ratio improved to 94.0% from 94.1%. Logistics operating ratio rose 50 basis points to 98.1%. Source

Demand and the order book

  • July strength faded through quarter: Market strength in late July faded as the quarter progressed; August and September trends were largely sub-seasonal, management said. Source
  • Regulatory actions may shift supply: Management cited regulatory enforcement actions as potentially able to significantly change industry supply dynamics. Source
  • Macro uncertainty remains: Management said it continues to grapple with macro uncertainty and will stay disciplined on capital allocation. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow down $37.3 million: Free cash flow was $76.1 million against $113.4 million a year earlier. Net capital expenditures were $108.1 million against $93.0 million. Source
  • Net capex rose on equipment timing: Net capital expenditures rose on the timing of transportation equipment purchases, partly offset by higher proceeds from property sales. Source
  • Debt and cash at quarter-end: At September 30, 2025, total debt and finance lease obligations were $522.8 million and cash was $194.1 million. Source
  • Buybacks total $103.9 million: Under its repurchase program, the company has bought back 4.1 million Class B shares for $103.9 million, the same total as at June 30. Source
  • Dividends returned $50.3 million year to date: Dividends returned to shareholders year to date total $50.3 million, with the $0.095 quarterly dividend paid on October 9, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Acquisitions and shareholder returns: Management said it is positioned to act opportunistically, including through accretive acquisitions and shareholder returns. Source
  • Structural improvements in the business: Management said it is driving ongoing structural improvements by using differentiated capabilities and driving productivity gains. Source
  • Cost-to-serve gains not yet visible: The CFO said timing has masked some traction on lowering cost to serve and delivering focused revenue strategies. Source

Full-year guidance revised

  • Adjusted EPS guidance cut to $0.70: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance was lowered to about $0.70 from $0.75 - $0.95 in the second-quarter release. Source
  • Capex guidance cut to $300 million: Full-year net capital expenditures guidance is about $300 million, versus $325 - $375 million previously. Source
  • Tax rate assumption near 24%: The EPS guidance assumes a full-year effective tax rate of about 24.0%, previously 23.0% - 24.0%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 October 2025

  • Fourth-quarter earnings improvement expected: Management expects earnings to improve in the fourth quarter as it continues executing on cost and revenue efforts. Source
  • Dividend payable January 12, 2026: The Board declared a $0.095 dividend on October 27, 2025, payable January 12, 2026 to holders of record on December 12, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Truckload revenue per truck per week Source$3,923
Truckload operating ratio Source96.8%
Intermodal operating ratio Source94.0%
Logistics operating ratio Source98.1%
Intermodal volume growth Source10%
Intermodal revenue per order Sourcedown 2%
Dedicated average truck count Sourceup 28% year over year

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Adverse development on three claims from 2021 and 2023 policy years weighed on third quarter results, per the CFO. Source
  • Demand: Sub-seasonal trends are likely to persist for the rest of the year, per the CFO. Source
  • Regulatory: Regulatory enforcement actions could significantly change industry supply dynamics, per management. Source
  • External: Management said macro uncertainty continues and it will stay disciplined on capital allocation. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The second-quarter release said it expected year-over-year earnings improvement in 2025; this release does not restate that expectation.
  • Not stated: Prior adjusted diluted EPS guidance was $0.75 - $0.95; current guidance is about $0.70. The company did not state a status for the earlier figure.

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.