Introduction and Basis of Presentation

Certain acronyms and terms used throughout this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are specific to our company, commonly used in our industry, or are otherwise frequently used throughout our document. Definitions for these acronyms and terms are provided in the "Glossary of Terms," available in the front of this document.

Description of Business

Swift is a transportation solutions provider, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. As of September 30, 2016, the Company's fleet of revenue equipment included 19,157 tractors (comprised of 14,380 company tractors and 4,777 owner-operator tractors), 62,727 trailers, and 9,131 intermodal containers. The Company’s four reportable segments are Truckload, Dedicated, Swift Refrigerated, and Intermodal.

Seasonality

In the truckload industry, results of operations generally show a seasonal pattern. As customers ramp up for the year-end holiday season, the late third quarter and fourth quarter have historically been the Company's strongest volume periods. As customers reduce shipments after the winter holiday season, the first quarter has historically been a lower-volume quarter than the other three quarters. In recent years, the macro consumer buying patterns combined with shippers’ supply chain management, which historically contributed to the fourth quarter "peak" season, continued to evolve. As a result, the Company's fourth quarter 2015, 2014, and 2013 volumes were more evenly distributed throughout the quarter, rather than peaking early in the quarter. In the eastern and mid-western United States, and to a lesser extent in the western United States, the Company's equipment utilization typically declines and operating expenses generally increase during the winter season. This tends to be attributed to declines in fuel efficiency from engine idling and increases in accident frequency, claims, and equipment repairs from severe weather. The Company's revenue is directly related to shippers' available working days. As such, curtailed operations and vacation shutdowns around the holidays may affect the Company's revenue. From time to time, the Company also suffers short-term impacts from severe weather and similar events, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, and explosions that could add volatility to, or harm, the Company's results of operations.

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Swift Transportation Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. In management's opinion, these consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP and include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the periods presented.

Change in Accounting Estimate

In August 2016, the Company decreased the estimated residual values of a certain group of its tractors, given recent trends in the used tractor market. Management prospectively accounted for this as a change in accounting estimate. This increased "Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment" in the consolidated income statements by approximately $3.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, which immaterially affected basic and diluted earnings per share.

Change in Presentation

In April 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which amended ASC Subtopic 835-30, Interest – Imputation of Interest. The amendments in this ASU simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs and align the presentation with debt discounts. Entities are required to present debt issuance costs within liabilities as a direct deduction from the face amount of the related debt, rather than as a deferred charge within assets. In August 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements – Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting (SEC Update), which also amended ASC Subtopic 835-30, Interest – Imputation of Interest. The SEC determined that ASU 2015-03 (discussed above) did not address costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The amendments in ASU 2015-15 clarify that entities may defer and present debt issuance costs as an asset, and subsequently amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. The amendments in these ASUs require retrospective application, with related disclosures for a change in accounting principle. For public business entities, the amendments in these ASUs are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and the interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) — CONTINUED

The Company adopted this guidance at the beginning of 2016. Accordingly, DLCs, except for those associated with the Company’s New Revolver, are presented as direct deductions from the face amount of the related debt. The Company retrospectively adjusted the December 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet to align with the current period presentation, as follows:



	December 31, 2015
Financial Statement Caption	Unadjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet		Reclassification Adjustments			Adjusted Consolidated Balance Sheet
	(In thousands)
ASSETS:
Other assets	$	29,353	$	(2,768	)	$	26,585
LIABILITIES:
Current portion of long-term debt	$	35,582	$	(68	)	$	35,514
Long-term debt, less current portion	645,290		(1,627		)	643,663
Accounts receivable securitization	225,000		(1,073		)	223,927