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OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA  
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA

NOTE J – OPERATING SEGMENT DATA

The Company uses the “management approach” to determine its reportable operating segments, as well as to determine the basis of reporting the operating segment information. The management approach focuses on financial information that the Company’s management uses to make operating decisions. Management uses revenues, operating expense categories, operating ratios, operating income (loss), and key operating statistics to evaluate performance and allocate resources to the Company’s operations.

On February 28, 2023, the Company sold FleetNet, a wholly owned subsidiary and reportable operating segment of the Company. Following the sale, FleetNet is reported as discontinued operations. As such, historical results of FleetNet have been excluded from both continuing operations and segment results for all periods presented.

The Company’s reportable operating segments are impacted by seasonal fluctuations which affect tonnage and shipment levels and demand for services, as described below; therefore, operating results for the interim periods presented may not necessarily be indicative of the results for the fiscal year. Inclement weather conditions can adversely affect freight shipments and operating costs of the Asset-Based and Asset-Light segments. Shipments may decline during winter months because of post-holiday slowdowns and during summer months due to plant shutdowns affecting automotive and

manufacturing customers of the Asset-Light segment; however, weather and other disruptive events can result in higher short-term demand for expedite services depending on the impact to customers' supply chains.

Historically, the second and third calendar quarters of each year usually have the highest tonnage and shipment levels, while the first quarter generally has the lowest, although other factors, including the state of the U.S. and global economies; available capacity in the market; the impact of yield initiatives; and the impact of external events or conditions, may influence quarterly business levels. The Company’s yield initiatives, along with increased technology-driven intelligence and visibility with respect to demand, have allowed for shipment optimization in non-peak times, reducing the Company’s susceptibility to seasonal fluctuations in recent years, including the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023.

The Company’s reportable operating segments are as follows:

The Asset-Based segment includes the results of operations of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries. The segment operations include national, inter-regional, and regional transportation of general commodities through standard, expedited, and guaranteed LTL services. The Asset-Based segment provides services to the Asset-Light segment, including freight transportation related to managed transportation solutions and other services.

The Asset-Light segment includes the results of operations of the Company’s service offerings in truckload, ground expedite, dedicated, intermodal, household goods moving, managed transportation, warehousing and distribution, and international freight transportation for air, ocean, and ground. The Asset-Light segment provides services to the Asset-Based segment.

The Company’s other business activities and operations that are not reportable segments include ArcBest Corporation (the parent holding company) and certain subsidiaries. Certain costs incurred by the parent holding company and the Company’s shared services subsidiary are allocated to the reporting segments. The Company eliminates intercompany transactions in consolidation. However, the information used by the Company’s management with respect to its reportable operating segments is before intersegment eliminations of revenues and expenses.

Shared services represent costs incurred to support all segments, including sales, pricing, customer service, marketing, capacity sourcing functions, human resources, financial services, information technology, and other company-wide services. Certain overhead costs are not attributable to any segment and remain unallocated in “Other and eliminations.” Included in unallocated costs are expenses related to investor relations, legal, the Company’s Board of Directors, and certain technology investments. Shared services costs attributable to the reportable operating segments are predominantly allocated based upon estimated and planned resource utilization-related metrics, such as estimated shipment levels or number of personnel supported. The bases for such charges are modified and adjusted by management when necessary or appropriate to reflect fairly and equitably the actual incidence of cost incurred by the reportable operating segments. Management believes the methods used to allocate expenses are reasonable.

Further classifications of operations or revenues by geographic location are impracticable and, therefore, are not provided. The Company’s foreign operations are not significant.

The following tables reflect the Company’s reportable operating segment information from continuing operations:

Three Months Ended 

Six Months Ended 

 

June 30

June 30

 

    

2024

    

2023

    

2024

    

2023

 

(in thousands)

 

REVENUES

Asset-Based

$

712,725

$

722,015

 

$

1,384,192

 

$

1,419,832

Asset-Light

 

395,817

 

409,816

 

792,180

 

847,908

Other and eliminations

 

(30,711)

 

(28,367)

 

(62,122)

 

(58,182)

Total consolidated revenues

 

$

1,077,831

 

$

1,103,464

 

$

2,114,250

 

$

2,209,558

OPERATING EXPENSES

Asset-Based

Salaries, wages, and benefits

$

352,678

$

344,538

 

$

697,677

 

$

680,143

Fuel, supplies, and expenses

 

82,938

 

90,897

 

163,982

 

185,185

Operating taxes and licenses

 

13,557

 

14,094

 

27,086

 

28,073

Insurance

 

16,964

 

12,889

 

31,446

 

26,162

Communications and utilities

 

4,412

 

4,553

 

9,211

 

9,857

Depreciation and amortization

 

26,646

 

25,273

 

53,653

 

50,184

Rents and purchased transportation

 

70,315

 

101,922

 

135,986

 

192,666

Shared services

72,245

74,468

137,159

139,081

(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment

 

(91)

 

416

 

58

 

365

Innovative technology costs(1)

 

 

8,343

 

 

14,411

Other

 

269

 

1,297

 

1,686

 

2,909

Total Asset-Based

 

639,933

 

678,690

1,257,944

1,329,036

Asset-Light

Purchased transportation

 

339,247

 

343,102

 

683,369

 

713,265

Salaries, wages, and benefits(2)

31,036

 

32,485

61,340

67,495

Supplies and expenses(2)

 

2,768

 

2,905

 

5,577

 

6,534

Depreciation and amortization(3)

 

5,039

 

5,085

 

10,117

 

10,153

Shared services(2)

17,297

16,500

33,571

33,014

Contingent consideration(4)

3,850

(10,000)

11,170

5,040

Other(2)

6,078

 

6,559

11,792

13,318

Total Asset-Light

 

405,315

 

396,636

 

816,936

 

848,819

 

 

Other and eliminations

 

(16,262)

 

(13,978)

 

 

(31,910)

 

(31,572)

Total consolidated operating expenses

$

1,028,986

$

1,061,348

$

2,042,970

$

2,146,283

(1)Represents costs associated with the freight handling pilot test program at ABF Freight, for which the decision was made to pause the pilot during third quarter 2023.
(2)For the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, certain expenses have been reclassed to conform to the current year presentation, including amounts previously reported in “Shared services” that were reclassed to present “Salaries, wages, and benefits” expenses in a separate line item, and certain immaterial facility rent expenses which were reclassed between line items.
(3)Depreciation and amortization includes amortization of intangibles associated with acquired businesses.
(4)Represents the change in fair value of the contingent earnout consideration related to the MoLo acquisition (see Note B).

Three Months Ended 

Six Months Ended 

 

June 30

June 30

2024

    

2023

    

2024

    

2023

 

(in thousands)

 

OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Asset-Based

$

72,792

$

43,325

$

126,248

$

90,796

Asset-Light

 

(9,498)

 

13,180

 

(24,756)

 

(911)

Other and eliminations

 

(14,449)

 

(14,389)

 

(30,212)

 

(26,610)

Total consolidated operating income

$

48,845

$

42,116

$

71,280

$

63,275

OTHER INCOME (COSTS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Interest and dividend income

$

3,241

$

3,725

$

6,556

$

6,658

Interest and other related financing costs

 

(2,078)

 

(2,205)

 

(4,306)

 

(4,532)

Other, net(1)

 

(781)

 

5,038

 

(28,980)

 

6,818

Total other income (costs)

 

382

 

6,558

 

(26,730)

 

8,944

INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES

$

49,227

$

48,674

$

44,550

$

72,219

(1)The six months ended June 30, 2024 includes a noncash impairment charge to write off the Company’s equity investment in Phantom Auto, as previously discussed. The three and six months ended June 30, 2023 include a $3.7 million fair value increase related to the Company’s investment in Phantom Auto, based on an observable price change during second quarter 2023 (see Note B).

The following table reflects information about revenues from customers and intersegment revenues:

    

Three Months Ended 

Six Months Ended 

 

June 30

June 30

 

    

2024

    

2023

    

2024

    

2023

 

(in thousands)

 

Revenues from customers

Asset-Based

$

682,558

$

694,755

 

$

1,323,134

 

$

1,363,975

Asset-Light

 

394,377

 

407,926

 

789,202

 

843,959

Other

 

896

 

783

 

1,914

 

1,624

Total consolidated revenues

 

$

1,077,831

 

$

1,103,464

 

$

2,114,250

 

$

2,209,558

Intersegment revenues

Asset-Based

$

30,167

$

27,260

$

61,058

$

55,857

Asset-Light

1,440

1,890

2,978

3,949

Other and eliminations

(31,607)

(29,150)

(64,036)

(59,806)

Total intersegment revenues

$

 

$

 

$

 

$

Total segment revenues

Asset-Based

$

712,725

$

722,015

$

1,384,192

$

1,419,832

Asset-Light

395,817

409,816

792,180

847,908

Other and eliminations

(30,711)

(28,367)

(62,122)

(58,182)

Total consolidated revenues

$

1,077,831

$

1,103,464

$

2,114,250

$

2,209,558

The following table presents operating expenses by category on a consolidated basis:

    

Three Months Ended 

Six Months Ended 

 

June 30

June 30

    

2024

    

2023

    

2024

    

2023

 

 

(in thousands)

OPERATING EXPENSES

Salaries, wages, and benefits

$

453,283

$

449,024

$

892,806

$

886,101

Rents, purchased transportation, and other costs of services

 

376,137

 

415,712

 

751,456

 

845,317

Fuel, supplies, and expenses(1)

 

112,137

 

123,705

 

221,659

 

245,880

Depreciation and amortization(2)

 

36,276

 

35,811

 

73,109

 

70,821

Contingent consideration(3)

3,850

(10,000)

11,170

5,040

Other(1)

 

47,303

 

47,096

 

92,770

 

93,124

$

1,028,986

$

1,061,348

$

2,042,970

$

2,146,283

(1)For the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 period, certain facility rent expenses have been reclassed between line items to conform to the current year presentation. Adjustments made are not material.
(2)Includes amortization of intangible assets.
(3)Represents the change in fair value of the contingent earnout consideration related to the MoLo acquisition (see Note B).