Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business

Heartland Express, Inc., (the "Company") is a short-to-medium-haul truckload carrier of general commodities. The Company provides nationwide transportation service to major shippers, using late-model equipment and a combined fleet of company-owned and independent contractor tractors. The Company’s primary traffic lanes are between customer locations east of the Rocky Mountains. In addition to the primary traffic lanes the Company also has a terminal located in Phoenix, Arizona which services markets located in the Western States.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the parent company, Heartland Express, Inc., and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. All material intercompany items and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Segment Information

The Company has eleven regional operating divisions, in addition to operations at the Company's corporate headquarters; however, it has determined that it has one reportable segment. The operating divisions are operated out of our ten office locations including our corporate headquarters. All of the divisions are managed based on similar economic characteristics. Each of the regional operating divisions provides short-to-medium haul truckload carrier services of general commodities to a similar class of customers. In addition, each division exhibits similar financial performance, including average revenue per mile and operating ratio. As a result of the foregoing, the Company has determined that it is appropriate to aggregate its operating divisions into one reportable segment, consistent with the authoritative accounting guidance on disclosures about segments of an enterprise and related information. Accordingly, the Company has not presented separate segment financial information.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments with insignificant interest rate risk and original maturities of three months or less at acquisition. Restricted and designated cash and investments totaling $8.4 million at December 31, 2011 and $6.6 million at December 31, 2010 are included in other non-current assets per the consolidated balance sheet. The restricted funds represent deposits required by state agencies for self-insurance purposes and designated funds that are earmarked for a specific purpose and not for general business use.

Investments

The Company determines the appropriate classification of the securities at the time they are acquired and evaluates the appropriateness of such classification at each balance sheet date. The Company has classified its investment in auction rate securities as available-for-sale totaling $50.6 million and $88.7 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Available-for-sale securities, comprised entirely of auction rate securities, are stated at fair value, and unrealized holding gains and losses, net of the related deferred tax effect, are reported as a component of stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses are determined on the basis of the specific securities sold. Investments are reviewed quarterly for other-than-temporary impairments. Municipal bonds of $1.3 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010 are stated at amortized cost, are classified as held-to-maturity and are included in restricted cash in other non-current assets. Investment income received on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity investments is generally exempt from federal income taxes and is accrued as earned. See Note 3 for further discussion of fair value measurements of investments.

Trade Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Revenue is recognized when freight is delivered, creating a credit sale and an account receivable. Credit terms for customer accounts are typically on a net 30 day basis. The Company uses a percentage of aged receivable method and its write off history in estimating the allowance for bad debts. The Company reviews the adequacy of its allowance for doubtful accounts on a monthly basis. The Company is aggressive in its collection efforts resulting in a low number of write-offs annually. Conditions that would lead an account to be considered uncollectible include; customers filing bankruptcy and the exhaustion of all practical collection efforts. The Company will use the necessary legal recourse to recover as much of the receivable as is practical under the law. Allowance for doubtful accounts was $0.8 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010.

Property, Equipment, and Depreciation

Property and equipment are reported at cost, net of accumulated depreciation, while maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred. Tires are capitalized separately from revenue equipment and are reported separately as “Prepaid Tires” in the consolidated balance sheet and amortized over two years. Depreciation expense of $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2011 has been included in communication and utilities in the consolidated statements of income. Depreciation for financial statement purposes is computed by the straight-line method for all assets other than tractors. The Company recognizes depreciation expense on tractors acquired subsequent to January 1, 2009, at 150% declining balance. At the beginning of 2009 0% of the Company's tractor fleet was depreciated under the 150% declining balance method. At December 31, 2009, 2010, and 2011 this percentage was 54%, 68% and 100%, respectively. Tractors are depreciated to salvage values of $15,000 while trailers are depreciated to salvage values of $4,000.



Lives of the assets are as follows:
	Years
Land improvements and buildings	5-30
Furniture and fixtures	3-5
Shop & service equipment	3-10
Revenue equipment	5-7

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company periodically evaluates property and equipment for impairment upon the occurrence of events or changes in circumstances that indicate the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is evaluated by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset group to future net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the group. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount over which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. There were no impairment charges recognized during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, 2009.

Advertising Costs

The Company expenses all advertising costs as incurred. Advertising costs are included in other operating expenses in the consolidated statements of income. Advertising expense was $1.2 million, $0.7 million, and $0.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009.

Goodwill

Goodwill is tested at least annually for impairment by applying a fair value based analysis in accordance with the authoritative accounting guidance on goodwill and other intangible assets. The Company’s annual assessment is conducted as of the end of September each year and no other indicators requiring assessment were identified during the period from this assessment through year-end. Management determined that no impairment charge was required for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009.

Self –Insurance Accruals

Insurance accruals reflect the estimated cost for auto liability, cargo loss and damage, bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD), and workers’ compensation claims, including estimated loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred but not reported, and not covered by insurance. Accident and workers’ compensation accruals are based upon individual case estimates, including reserve development, and estimates of incurred-but-not-reported losses based upon the Company's own historical experience and industry claim trends. Insurance accruals are not discounted. The cost of cargo and BI/PD insurance and claims are included in insurance and claims expense, while the costs of workers’ compensation insurance and claims are included in salaries, wages, and benefits in the consolidated statements of income.

Health insurance accruals reflect the estimated cost of health related claims, including estimated expenses incurred but not reported. The cost of health insurance and claims are included in salaries, wages and benefits in the consolidated statements of income. Health insurance accruals of $3.5 million and $3.4 million are included in other accruals in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Revenue and Expense Recognition

Revenue is recognized when freight is delivered and is estimated for loads in transit at the end of an accounting period based on the number of miles run prior to end of the accounting period. Revenue associated with loads delivered but not billed as of the end of an accounting period are estimated as part of revenue for that period. Fuel surcharge revenue charged to customers is earned consistent with the timing of freight revenues and included in operating revenue in the consolidated statements of income. Fuel surcharge revenues were $107.8 million, $75.3 million, and $53.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively. Driver wages and other direct operating expenses are recognized when freight is delivered and are estimated for loads in process at the end of an accounting period.

Stock-based compensation

The Company has a stock-based compensation plan that provides for the grants of restricted stock awards to employees of the Company. The Company accounts for restricted stock awards using the fair value method of accounting for stock-based compensation. Issuances of stock upon vesting of restricted stock are made from treasury stock. Compensation expense for restricted stock grants is recognized over the requisite service period of each award and is included in salaries, wages and benefits in the consolidated statement of income. Compensation expense of $4.8 million is being amortized over the requisite service period for each separate vesting period as if the award is, in substance, multiple awards.

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share is based upon the weighted average common shares outstanding during each year. Diluted earnings per share is based on the basic weighted earnings per share with additional weighted common shares for common stock equivalents. During the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 the Company did not have any common stock equivalents; therefore, diluted earnings per share were equal to basic earnings per share for those periods. During the year ended December 31, 2011 the Company granted shares of common stock to certain employees of the Company under the 2011 Restricted Stock Award Plan. A reconciliation of the numerator (net income) and denominator (weighted average number of shares outstanding of the basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") for 2011 is as follows (in thousands, except per share data):



	2011
	Net Income (numerator) (in thousands)		Shares (denominator) (in thousands)	Per Share Amount
Basic EPS	$	69,932	89,656	$	0.78
Effect of restricted stock	—		17
Diluted EPS	$	69,932	89,673	$	0.78

Income Taxes

The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statements carrying amount of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Such amounts are adjusted, as appropriate, to reflect changes in tax rates expected to be in effect when the temporary differences reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in the period that the change in enacted. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the Company’s deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized.

Pursuant to the authoritative accounting guidance on income taxes, when establishing a valuation allowance, the Company considers future sources of taxable income such as “future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and carry-forwards” and “tax planning strategies”. In the event the Company determines that the deferred tax assets will not be realized in the future, the valuation adjustment to the deferred tax assets is charged to earnings or accumulated other comprehensive loss based on the nature of the asset giving rise to the deferred tax asset and the facts and circumstances resulting in that conclusion.

The Company calculates its current and deferred tax provision based on estimates and assumptions that could differ from the actual results reflected in income tax returns filed in subsequent years. Adjustments based on filed returns are recorded when identified.

The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income consists of net income and other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) refers to revenues, expenses, gains and losses that are not included in net income, but rather are recorded directly in stockholders' equity. For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, comprehensive income consists of net income and unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities.

Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011 the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new accounting guidance which relates to how to measure fair value and on what disclosures to provide about fair value measurements as a result of joint efforts by the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") to develop a single, converged fair value framework. The new guidance is effective prospectively for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new accounting guidance on its current fair value measurements and disclosures.

In June 2011, the FASB issued new accounting guidance which revises the manner in which companies present comprehensive income in their financial statements. The new guidance removes the presentation options previously allowed and requires companies to report components of comprehensive income as part of the consolidated statement of income or as a separate consolidated statement of comprehensive income. The revised guidance does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income. The revised guidance will require the Company to modify the current presentation of comprehensive income as part of the consolidated statement of stockholders' equity. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of 2012.