JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Landstar System, Inc. (NASDAQ: LSTR) reported diluted earnings per share of $0.63 in the 2020 second quarter on revenue of $824 million. Included in the Company’s 2020 second quarter financial results were:
approximately $12.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, in payments made to the Company’s BCOs and agents in April and May under the Company’s previously disclosed pandemic relief incentive program;a charge of approximately $2.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, due to the impairment of certain assets associated with Landstar’s Mexico operation relating to a decrease of business within Mexico; and  approximately $2.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, due to higher third party insurance company premiums incurred in May and June for commercial trucking liability coverage following the Company’s May 1st annual insurance renewal.  The higher premiums incurred in the 2020 second quarter reflected a pro rata portion of an annual increase of $14.0 million in the fixed component of the Company’s insurance and claims expense for the period from May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021, in connection with severe tightening of capacity in insurance markets offering coverage to the truck transportation industry. Landstar reported diluted earnings per share of $1.53 on revenue of $1.045 billion in the 2019 second quarter. Gross profit (defined as revenue less the cost of purchased transportation and commissions to agents) was $113.1 million in the 2020 second quarter, inclusive of the impact of the special pandemic relief payments made to the Company’s BCOs and agents in April and May of 2020. Gross profit was $158.0 million in the 2019 second quarter.Truck transportation revenue hauled by independent business capacity owners (“BCOs”) and truck brokerage carriers in the 2020 second quarter was $753.3 million, or 91 percent of revenue, compared to $968.2 million, or 93 percent of revenue, in the 2019 second quarter. Truckload transportation revenue hauled via van equipment in the 2020 second quarter was $483.0 million compared to $605.4 million in the 2019 second quarter. Truckload transportation revenue hauled via unsided/platform equipment in the 2020 second quarter was $247.4 million compared to $338.1 million in the 2019 second quarter. Revenue hauled by rail, air and ocean cargo carriers was $53.8 million, or 7 percent of revenue, in the 2020 second quarter compared to $56.8 million, or 5 percent of revenue, in the 2019 second quarter.During the 2020 second quarter, Landstar generated $99.2 million in operating cash flow and paid $7.1 million in dividends. Landstar did not purchase any shares of its common stock during the 2020 second quarter and currently is authorized to purchase up to 1,821,030 shares of the Company’s common stock under Landstar’s previously announced share purchase program. As of June 27, 2020, the Company had $282 million in cash and short term investments with undrawn revolver capacity under our senior credit facility of $216 million (with the ability to increase to $366 million with the accordion feature included in our senior credit facility). Landstar also announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.21 per share payable on August 28, 2020, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 10, 2020. This quarterly dividend includes a $0.025 per share increase, or 13.5 percent, over the amount of the Company’s regular quarterly dividend declared following each of the prior four quarters. The $0.025 per share increase is the largest increase in the Company’s regularly scheduled quarterly dividend in the Company’s history. It is currently the intention of the Board to pay dividends on a quarterly basis going forward.“Overall, the resiliency of Landstar’s variable cost business model performed as expected given the unprecedented economic decline caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” said Landstar’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Gattoni. “We entered the 2020 second quarter knowing we would face a very soft freight demand environment as a result of actions taken by governmental authorities and businesses to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As anticipated, demand for freight services slowed significantly and capacity became readily available during the Company’s 2020 second quarter, especially in the spot market where the Company primarily operates. The number of loads and revenue per load on loads hauled via truck in the 2020 second quarter decreased 16 percent and 7 percent, respectively, from the 2019 second quarter. The number of loads hauled via truck was below the prior year comparable period by 21 percent, 21 percent and 9 percent for April, May and June, respectively. Revenue per load on loads hauled via truck was below the prior year comparable period by 6 percent, 9 percent and 6 percent in April, May and June, respectively.”Gattoni further commented, “The 2020 second quarter presented operating conditions and challenges unlike any other quarter in Landstar’s history. Nevertheless, Landstar did not take any drastic cost reduction measures that could have disrupted our ability to service Landstar’s customers, agents, BCOs or other third party capacity providers or slow the progress on our technology initiatives. Also, as previously disclosed, Landstar instituted a pandemic relief incentive program as of the beginning of April for BCOs and agents. Under the program, Landstar paid an extra $50 to each of the BCO hauling the load and the Landstar agent dispatching the load for each load delivered by a BCO with a confirmed delivery date in April. The pandemic relief program was subsequently extended through the month of May. The Company’s 2020 second quarter results included a total of approximately $12.6 million of these pandemic relief incentive payments to BCOs and agents. Revenue decreased 21 percent and gross profit decreased 28 percent in the Company’s 2020 second quarter compared to the 2019 second quarter. Exclusive of the impact of the pandemic relief program, gross profit decreased 20 percent in the 2020 second quarter compared to the prior year period.”Gattoni continued, “Although the ultimate impact that the coronavirus pandemic will have on the freight transportation industry continues to be unpredictable, we believe Landstar remains in a solid operational and financial position as we enter the third quarter. Through the first few weeks of July, the number of loads and revenue per load on loads hauled via truck have moved beyond the peak declines of April and May. Both the number of loads and revenue per load on loads hauled via truck in the first few weeks of July were below the corresponding period of 2019 in mid single-digit percentage ranges. Assuming current demand conditions persist, I expect the number of loads hauled via truck in the 2020 third quarter to be below the number of loads hauled by truck in the 2019 third quarter in a mid single-digit percentage range. My expectation is that pricing conditions for truck services in the 2020 third quarter will be slightly improved as compared to the 2020 second quarter with little change in the level of truck capacity available in the marketplace. Assuming those capacity market conditions continue throughout the rest of the third quarter, I expect 2020 third quarter truck revenue per load to be lower than the 2019 third quarter in a mid single-digit percentage range. Based on those expectations, I would anticipate revenue for the 2020 third quarter to be in a range of $885 million to $935 million. Assuming that range of estimated revenue and insurance and claims expense at 4.8 percent of BCO revenue (which reflects the significant increase in insurance premiums previously described), I would anticipate 2020 third quarter diluted earnings per share to be in a range of $1.11 to $1.17 per share.”Landstar will provide a live webcast of its quarterly earnings conference call tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. ET. To access the webcast, visit the Company’s website at www.landstar.com; click on “Investor Relations” and “Webcasts,” then click on “Landstar’s Second Quarter 2020 Earnings Release Conference Call.”The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements contained in this press release that are not based on historical facts are “forward-looking statements”. This press release contains forward-looking statements, such as statements which relate to Landstar’s business objectives, plans, strategies and expectations. Terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intention,” “expects,” “plans,” “predicts,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “will,” the negative thereof and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are by nature subject to uncertainties and risks, including but not limited to: the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; an increase in the frequency or severity of accidents or other claims; unfavorable development of existing accident claims; dependence on third party insurance companies; dependence on independent commission sales agents; dependence on third party capacity providers; decreased demand for transportation services; U.S. foreign trade relationships; substantial industry competition; disruptions or failures in the Company’s computer systems; cyber and other information security incidents; dependence on key vendors; changes in fuel taxes; status of independent contractors; regulatory and legislative changes; regulations focused on diesel emissions and other air quality matters; catastrophic loss of a Company facility; intellectual property; unclaimed property; and other operational, financial or legal risks or uncertainties detailed in Landstar’s Form 10K for the 2019 fiscal year, described in Item 1A Risk Factors, and in other SEC filings from time to time. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results or events to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Investors should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.About Landstar:
Landstar System, Inc. is a worldwide, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions delivering safe, specialized transportation services to a broad range of customers utilizing a network of agents, third-party capacity providers and employees. Landstar transportation services companies are certified to ISO 9001:2015 quality management system standards and RC14001:2015 environmental, health, safety and security management system standards.  Landstar System, Inc. is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Its common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market® under the symbol LSTR.  

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