Marten Transport Ltd.

04/15/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/15/2021 14:04

Current Report (SEC Filing - 8-K)

ex_240947.htm

Exhibit 99.1

MARTEN TRANSPORT ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER RESULTS

Net income improves 31.3% to kick off 2021

MONDOVI, Wis., April 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marten Transport, Ltd. (Nasdaq/GS:MRTN) today reported a 31.3% improvement in net income to $18.0 million, or 22 cents per diluted share, for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021, from $13.7 million, or 17 cents per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2020.

Operating Results Comparison

Percentage

Percentage

Percentage

Increase

Increase

Increase

Three Months

Year

Year

Ended

Ended

Ended

March 31,

December 31,

December 31,

2021 vs. 2020

2020 vs. 2019

2019 vs. 2018

Operating revenue

2.0

%

3.7

%

7.1

%

Operating revenue, net of fuel surcharges

2.5

%

6.8

%

8.6

%

Operating income

33.1

%

21.9

%

8.7

%

Net income

31.3

%

13.8

%

11.0

%

Operating revenue improved 2.0% to $223.0 million for the first quarter of 2021 from $218.6 million for the first quarter of 2020. Excluding fuel surcharges, operating revenue improved 2.5% to $198.2 million for the 2021 quarter from $193.4 million for the 2020 quarter. Fuel surcharge revenue decreased slightly to $24.9 million for the 2021 quarter from $25.2 million for the 2020 quarter.

Operating income improved 33.1% to $24.0 million for the first quarter of 2021 from $18.0 million for the first quarter of 2020.

Operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenue improved to 89.2% for the first quarter of 2021 from 91.8% for the first quarter of 2020. Operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenue, with both amounts net of fuel surcharges, improved to 87.9% from 90.7%.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Randolph L. Marten said, 'Our talented and determined people followed up the impact of the severe winter weather in February with an extremely strong finish to our first quarter, earning 10 cents per diluted share in the month of March. The 33.1% operating income improvement in our 2021 first quarter continues the consistent solid growth we achieved in 2020 of 21.9% and in 2019 of 8.7%, demonstrating our earnings leverage across some challenging operating environments.'

'We have been increasing and will continue to increase the compensation from our customers for our premium services within the tightening freight market, which is the result of both accelerating demand and constraining capacity driven by the intensifying national driver shortage. We expect to continue to build on our momentum in expanding the capacity we provide within our unique multifaceted business model across our diverse customer base with our continued improvements to our aggressive levels of driver compensation and benefits, safety and technology.'

'We embrace our responsibility to keep our valued drivers, maintenance personnel and employees across all functions and regions safe and healthy as they each contribute to our transporting and distributing the food, beverages and other consumer goods essential to millions of people in North America. We paid our drivers $876,000 this February for their available hours not driven due to the persistent unsafe weather conditions, compared with $46,000 in February of 2020.'

Marten Transport, with headquarters in Mondovi, Wis., is a multifaceted business offering a network of refrigerated and dry truck-based transportation capabilities across the Company's five distinct business platforms - Truckload, Dedicated, Intermodal, Brokerage and MRTN de Mexico. Marten is one of the leading temperature-sensitive truckload carriers in the United States, specializing in transporting and distributing food, beverages and other consumer packaged goods that require a temperature-controlled or insulated environment. The Company offers service in the United States, Canada and Mexico, concentrating on expedited movements for high-volume customers. Marten's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol MRTN.

This press release contains certain statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include a discussion of Marten's prospects for future growth and by their nature involve substantial risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Important factors known to the Company that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements are discussed in Part I, Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. The Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACTS: Tim Kohl, President, and Jim Hinnendael, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of Marten Transport, Ltd., 715-926-4216.

MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

March 31,

December 31,

(In thousands, except share information)

2021

2020

(Unaudited)

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$ 88,583 $ 66,127

Receivables:

Trade, net

89,552 83,426

Other

3,489 4,202

Prepaid expenses and other

19,434 21,903

Total current assets

201,058 175,658

Property and equipment:

Revenue equipment, buildings and land, office equipment and other

934,405 930,123

Accumulated depreciation

(281,812

)

(275,950

)

Net property and equipment

652,593 654,173

Other noncurrent assets

1,698 1,805

Total assets

$ 855,349 $ 831,636

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$ 32,060 $ 25,702

Insurance and claims accruals

41,712 39,595

Accrued and other current liabilities

24,079 24,497

Total current liabilities

97,851 89,794

Deferred income taxes

122,183 121,098

Noncurrent operating lease liabilities

337 411

Total liabilities

220,371 211,303

Stockholders' equity:

Preferred stock, $.01 par value per share; 2,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding

- -

Common stock, $.01 par value per share; 192,000,000 shares authorized; 82,774,936 shares at March 31, 2021, and 82,705,005 shares at December 31, 2020, issued and outstanding

828 827

Additional paid-in capital

85,019 85,070

Retained earnings

549,131 534,436

Total stockholders' equity

634,978 620,333

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$ 855,349 $ 831,636

MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

Three Months

Ended March 31,

(In thousands, except per share information)

2021

2020

Operating revenue

$ 223,046 $ 218,646

Operating expenses (income):

Salaries, wages and benefits

72,998 72,761

Purchased transportation

40,765 40,445

Fuel and fuel taxes

28,937 28,297

Supplies and maintenance

11,015 12,228

Depreciation

25,687 25,427

Operating taxes and licenses

2,712 2,639

Insurance and claims

11,446 12,284

Communications and utilities

2,083 1,985

Gain on disposition of revenue equipment

(1,984

)

(1,555

)

Other

5,389 6,103

Total operating expenses

199,048 200,614

Operating income

23,998 18,032

Other

(10

)

(97

)

Income before income taxes

24,008 18,129

Income taxes expense

6,002 4,411

Net income

$ 18,006 $ 13,718

Basic earnings per common share

$ 0.22 $ 0.17

Diluted earnings per common share

$ 0.22 $ 0.17

Dividends declared per common share

$ 0.04 $ 0.027

MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD.

SEGMENT INFORMATION

(Unaudited)

Dollar

Percentage

Change

Change

Three Months

Three Months

Three Months

Ended

Ended

Ended

March 31,

March 31,

March 31,

(Dollars in thousands)

2021

2020

2021 vs. 2020

2021 vs. 2020

Operating revenue:

Truckload revenue, net of fuel surcharge revenue

$ 83,919 $ 83,857 $ 62 0.1

%

Truckload fuel surcharge revenue

10,996 11,275 (279

)

(2.5

)

Total Truckload revenue

94,915 95,132 (217

)

(0.2

)

Dedicated revenue, net of fuel surcharge revenue

66,902 64,159 2,743 4.3

Dedicated fuel surcharge revenue

11,335 10,878 457 4.2

Total Dedicated revenue

78,237 75,037 3,200 4.3

Intermodal revenue, net of fuel surcharge revenue

19,446 20,594 (1,148

)

(5.6

)

Intermodal fuel surcharge revenue

2,558 3,086 (528

)

(17.1

)

Total Intermodal revenue

22,004 23,680 (1,676

)

(7.1

)

Brokerage revenue

27,890 24,797 3,093 12.5

Total operating revenue

$ 223,046 $ 218,646 $ 4,400 2.0

%

Operating income:

Truckload

$ 11,415 $ 6,785 $ 4,630 68.2

%

Dedicated

8,936 8,533 403 4.7

Intermodal

1,461 1,306 155 11.9

Brokerage

2,186 1,408 778 55.3

Total operating income

$ 23,998 $ 18,032 $ 5,966 33.1

%

Operating ratio:

Truckload

88.0

%

92.9

%

Dedicated

88.6 88.6

Intermodal

93.4 94.5

Brokerage

92.2 94.3

Consolidated operating ratio

89.2

%

91.8

%

MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD.

OPERATING STATISTICS

(Unaudited)

Three Months

Ended March 31,

2021

2020

Truckload Segment:

Revenue (in thousands)

$ 94,915 $ 95,132

Average revenue, net of fuel surcharges, per tractor per week(1)

$ 4,057 $ 3,814

Average tractors(1)

1,609 1,691

Average miles per trip

534 559

Non-revenue miles percentage(2)

10.3

%

11.2

%

Total miles (in thousands)

38,283 41,039

Dedicated Segment:

Revenue (in thousands)

$ 78,237 $ 75,037

Average revenue, net of fuel surcharges, per tractor per week(1)

$ 3,214 $ 3,304

Average tractors(1)

1,619 1,494

Average miles per trip

307 306

Non-revenue miles percentage(2)

0.8

%

0.7

%

Total miles (in thousands)

31,999 31,536

Intermodal Segment:

Revenue (in thousands)

$ 22,004 $ 23,680

Loads

7,982 9,737

Average tractors

134 100

Brokerage Segment:

Revenue (in thousands)

$ 27,890 $ 24,797

Loads

14,575 16,108

At March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020:

Total tractors(1)

3,361 3,377

Average age of company tractors (in years)

1.6 1.8

Total trailers

5,344 5,420

Average age of company trailers (in years)

3.2 2.6

Ratio of trailers to tractors(1)

1.6 1.6

Three Months

Ended March 31,

(In thousands)

2021

2020

Net cash provided by operating activities

$ 43,570 $ 43,480

Net cash used for investing activities

(17,417

)

(36,632

)

Net cash used for financing activities

(3,697

)

(2,173

)

Weighted average shares outstanding:

Basic

82,758 82,214

Diluted

83,359 82,864

(1)

Includes tractors driven by both company-employed drivers and independent contractors. Independent contractors provided 133 and 106 tractors as of March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

(2)

Represents the percentage of miles for which the company is not compensated.