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Schneider National, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Operating revenues grew 10% year-over-year: Operating revenues increased to $1.6 billion from $1.4 billion in Q2 2025, reflecting strong execution on revenue management and improving market conditions. Source
  • Income from operations surged 30%: Income from operations rose $16.4 million to $71.4 million as operational leverage improved with revenue growth outpacing cost increases. Source
  • Diluted EPS jumped 40%: Diluted earnings per share increased to $0.28 from $0.20 year-over-year, demonstrating significant operating leverage from the quarter's execution. Source
  • Non-compliant capacity exited market faster: Non-compliant carriers exited the market faster than management initially anticipated, providing more rapid relief to capacity tightness than expected. Source
  • Pricing strongest in constrained segments: Management observing the strongest pricing improvement in the parts of the business where the industry faces the most capacity constraints. Source
  • Revenue per truck per week up 5%: Truckload revenue per truck per week increased to $4,162 from $3,964 year-over-year, reflecting improvements in pricing and productivity across both Network and Dedicated service lines. Source
  • Operating ratio improved 180 basis points: Truckload operating ratio improved significantly to 91.8% from 93.6% year-over-year, demonstrating strong leverage as revenue improvements exceeded cost growth. Source
  • Logistics operating income surged 53%: Logistics income from operations jumped to $12.1 million from $7.9 million, driven by higher revenue per order and cost actions, despite lower brokerage volume. Source
  • Cost actions delivering year-over-year gains: Management emphasized that actions to lower cost to serve and enhance productivity, implemented in prior periods, have positioned the company to deliver meaningful year-over-year earnings growth. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance raised substantially: Full year 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $0.90-$1.10 from $0.70-$1.00, reflecting strong Q2 results and confidence in continued market capacity rationalization. Source

“In the second quarter, we delivered strong earnings improvement, driven by the combined impact of the disciplined revenue management, cost reduction, and productivity actions implemented over the past several years which enabled the enterprise to capitalize on improving market conditions.”

Jim Filter, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share Sourcefull year 2026$0.90 - $1.10Raised from $0.70 - $1.00
Net Capital Expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$350 - $400 millionLowered from $400 - $450 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full year adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $0.90-$1.10 from $0.70-$1.00, with midpoint improving $0.15, driven by strong Q2 results and confidence in continued operating leverage from disciplined execution and market capacity rationalization. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full year net capital expenditures guidance reduced by $50 million at midpoint to $350-400 million, as company expects lower trailing equipment purchases than previously forecasted. Source

Q2 Results and Earnings Growth

  • Operating revenues grew 10% year-over-year: Operating revenues increased to $1.6 billion from $1.4 billion in Q2 2025, reflecting strong execution on revenue management and improving market conditions. Source
  • Income from operations surged 30%: Income from operations rose $16.4 million to $71.4 million as operational leverage improved with revenue growth outpacing cost increases. Source
  • Diluted EPS jumped 40%: Diluted earnings per share increased to $0.28 from $0.20 year-over-year, demonstrating significant operating leverage from the quarter's execution. Source
  • Disciplined actions drove earnings improvement: Management credited strong earnings growth to disciplined revenue management, cost reduction, and productivity actions implemented over several years. Source

Market Capacity and Pricing Momentum

  • Non-compliant capacity exited market faster: Non-compliant carriers exited the market faster than management initially anticipated, providing more rapid relief to capacity tightness than expected. Source
  • Pricing strongest in constrained segments: Management observing the strongest pricing improvement in the parts of the business where the industry faces the most capacity constraints. Source
  • Allocation events to build momentum: Company expects recent allocation events in the market will build pricing momentum going forward as capacity remains constrained. Source

“The positive impact of non-compliant capacity exiting the market has been realized more quickly than initially anticipated, and we remain confident that the enterprise will continue to deliver strong operating leverage.”

Jim Filter, President and Chief Executive Officer

Truckload Segment Revenue Quality

  • Revenue per truck per week up 5%: Truckload revenue per truck per week increased to $4,162 from $3,964 year-over-year, reflecting improvements in pricing and productivity across both Network and Dedicated service lines. Source
  • Operating income rose 28%: Truckload income from operations increased $11.3 million or 28% to $51.4 million, driven by improved Network pricing and productivity, fuel surcharge recovery, and equipment gains. Source
  • Operating ratio improved 180 basis points: Truckload operating ratio improved significantly to 91.8% from 93.6% year-over-year, demonstrating strong leverage as revenue improvements exceeded cost growth. Source
  • Volume offset by price and productivity: Truckload revenues excluding fuel surcharge increased modestly by 1%, as improved Network pricing and productivity gains more than offset lower Dedicated volume. Source

Intermodal and Logistics Profitability

  • Intermodal operating income up 14%: Intermodal income from operations increased to $18.4 million from $16.1 million, benefiting from volume growth and fuel surcharge recovery despite a 2% decline in revenue per order. Source
  • Logistics operating income surged 53%: Logistics income from operations jumped to $12.1 million from $7.9 million, driven by higher revenue per order and cost actions, despite lower brokerage volume. Source

“These results reinforce our confidence that the actions we have taken to lower our cost to serve and enhance productivity have prepared us to deliver meaningful year-over-year earnings growth.”

Darrell Campbell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Operating Leverage and Cost Efficiency

  • Cost actions delivering year-over-year gains: Management emphasized that actions to lower cost to serve and enhance productivity, implemented in prior periods, have positioned the company to deliver meaningful year-over-year earnings growth. Source
  • Multimodal portfolio enabling flexibility: Management's diversified multimodal approach is enabling nimble response to market opportunities while advancing strategic priorities of customer loyalty, profitable growth, and disciplined capital allocation. Source

Full Year Guidance Raised

  • Adjusted EPS guidance raised substantially: Full year 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $0.90-$1.10 from $0.70-$1.00, reflecting strong Q2 results and confidence in continued market capacity rationalization. Source
  • Tax rate assumption unchanged: Guidance assumes a full year effective tax rate of approximately 24.0%, unchanged from prior guidance. Source

Capital Allocation and Shareholder Returns

  • $34.6M returned in dividends YTD: Company has returned $34.6 million in dividends to shareholders year-to-date, with a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share and a second payment expected in October. Source
  • Strong liquidity position maintained: Company had $292.7 million in cash and cash equivalents and $396.5 million in total debt and finance lease obligations as of June 30, 2026. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 July 2026

  • Allocation events to build pricing momentum: Management expects recent allocation events in the trucking market will build momentum in pricing as capacity remains constrained through the balance of the year. Source
  • Capacity rationalization to support freight: Company expects continued capacity rationalization in the industry will support freight conditions and pricing dynamics through the second half of 2026. Source
  • Range of demand and driver outcomes: Guidance reflects a range of possible outcomes for demand levels and driver capacity availability in the second half, representing key swing factors for market improvement. Source

In management's words

“Based on our second quarter results and these market expectations, our updated full year adjusted diluted earnings per share forecast is $0.90-$1.10, up from our prior guidance of $0.70-$1.00.”

Darrell Campbell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Company guidance incorporates a range of outcomes for second half demand, indicating uncertainty about freight demand trends despite current stability. Source
  • Operational: Driver capacity availability identified as a swing factor for the pace and magnitude of market improvement in the second half of 2026. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management stated in Q1 it expected to deliver strong operating leverage; Q2 results confirm confidence in continued execution of cost reduction and productivity initiatives. Source
  • Ahead: Q1 guidance of $0.70-$1.00 for full year has been raised to $0.90-$1.10 in Q2, indicating company is executing ahead of initial expectations. Source
  • On track: Company reaffirms commitment to lowering cost to serve and enhancing productivity, with Q2 results validating effectiveness of actions taken. 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.