COVENANT LOGISTICS GROUP, INC. (CVLG)

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read together with “Business” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and Part I “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and elsewhere in this report. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

We are a leading provider of high-service truckload transportation and logistics services. Our strategy is to focus on value-added, less commoditized portions of our customers’ supply chains and thereby become embedded in their business processes. We believe disciplined planning and execution of our strategy will continue to reduce the cyclicality and seasonality of our financial results through growth in higher margin, less volatile services, which in turn will enhance sustainable long-term earnings power and return on invested capital for our stockholders.

Our four reportable segments are Expedited, Dedicated, Managed Freight, and Warehousing, each as described under “Reportable Segments and Service Offerings” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. For 2024, despite a challenging general freight environment, we achieved our third highest adjusted annual earnings per diluted share in our history. Within our Expedited reportable segment, both total revenue and margins declined year over year primarily as a result of an approximately 4% reduction in average total tractors, partially offset by an approximately 2% increase in both freight revenue per total mile and  utilization year-over-year. Within our Dedicated reportable segment, we have worked hard over the last three years to improve the profitability within this segment by exiting unprofitable business and adding profitable business and while we are pleased with the improvement to adjusted operating income compared to 2023, we believe that if we are successful in providing best in class service and controlling costs, growth and improved profitability will result. Managed Freight experienced reduced revenue but improved operating income with increased volumes of high-margin overflow freight from both Expedited and Dedicated truckload operations and focusing on cost control. Going forward, we seek to grow Managed Freight with profitable revenue from new customers, work closely with our asset-based segment to capitalize on overflow opportunities when available, and optimize costs to yield longer term margin goals in the mid-single digits, which will generate an acceptable return on capital given the asset light nature of the business. Warehousing was able to grow revenue and operating income through improvements to direct labor costs and improved margins with contractual pricing increases put into place during the year. We are continuing to work towards increasing the operating income and related margins in each of these segments by executing on both our pipeline of new business and focused cost savings initiatives.

The table below reflects the total revenue trends in each of these reportable segments:

Our consolidated financial results are summarized as follows:

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Outlook

The Company’s consistently good performance in a weak freight market is evidence that our strategic plan continues to work. Over the past three years, we reallocated a significant amount of fixed assets away from underperforming and highly cyclical legacy operations toward acquiring three high-performing, more steady businesses.  The result has been better margins, more stable earnings, and improved returns on capital compared with our legacy operations during previous downturns.  While we are pleased with our results, we are also optimistic about our ability to make incremental improvements by continuing to invest in our team, identifying and mitigating risk, providing customers with superior service, and rigorously allocating capital across the enterprise.

With continued diligence and accountability, we expect to grow our market share organically and through acquisitions, continue to improve our operations, and be a stronger, more profitable, and more predictable business with the opportunity for significant and sustained value creation. Based on our anticipated cash flow generation profile, we expect to be able to continue our cash dividend program and evaluate a full range of capital allocation alternatives, including maintaining a lower leveraged balance sheet compared to 2020, organic growth, acquisition and disposition opportunities, and stock repurchases.

For the first quarter of 2025, the general freight market appears to be incrementally improving as capacity and demand are better balanced than they have been for approximately two years, and customers are acknowledging this during rate and volume allocation discussions. However, in our dedicated markets, customers continue to experience greater than expected temporary customer shutdowns and volume pressure.  Additionally, bad weather has hampered operations and increased our costs limiting any benefit of general market uplift. Beyond the first quarter, we are focusing on positioning the Company to execute quickly and gain operating leverage as conditions improve, continuing to capture new dedicated contracts to expand the fleet organically, and evaluating multiple acquisition and investment opportunities.  Our goal remains to grow profitably and generate meaningful returns for our stockholders while providing world-class career opportunities for our team members.

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RESULTS OF CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS

Our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in this document generally discusses 2024 and 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023. Discussions of 2022 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022 that are not included in this document can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

The following table sets forth total revenue and freight revenue (total revenue less fuel surcharge revenue) for the periods indicated:

Revenue

The increase in total revenue resulted from a $44.1 million and $1.0 million increase in Dedicated and Warehouse freight revenue, respectively, partially offset by a $10.0 million and $7.4 million decrease in freight revenue from our Managed Freight and Expedited reportable segments, respectively.

See results of reportable segment operations section for discussion of fluctuations.

For comparison purposes in the discussion below, we use total revenue and freight revenue (total revenue less fuel surcharge revenue) when discussing changes as a percentage of revenue.

For each expense item discussed below, we have provided a table setting forth the relevant expense first as a percentage of total revenue, and then as a percentage of freight revenue.

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Salaries, wages, and related expenses

The increase in salaries, wages, and related expenses on a dollars basis is primarily the result of averaging more drivers and tractors resulting in higher driver salaries, wages, and benefits as a result of growth in Dedicated, along with increased shop technician salaries and benefits, workers compensation and group health costs, partially offset by contract labor reductions.

We believe driver and non-driver, including shop technicians, pay and benefits will continue to increase as the result of wage inflation, higher healthcare costs, and, in certain periods, increased incentive compensation due to better performance. Driver pay may also fluctuate based on the number of miles driven. While driver pay remains stable at the present time, we have historically put driver pay increases in place as necessary to address driver market pressure and will continue to do so in the future as necessary. If freight market rates increase, we would expect to, as we have historically, pass a portion of those rate increases on to our professional drivers. Salaries, wages, and related expenses will fluctuate to some extent based on the percentage of revenue generated by independent contractors and our Managed Freight reportable segment, for which payments are reflected in the purchased transportation line item.

Fuel expense

The decreases in total fuel expense are primarily related to lower fuel prices in 2024, as well as a 5.3% decrease in total miles.

We receive a fuel surcharge on our loaded miles from most shippers; however, in times of increasing fuel prices, this does not cover the entire increase in fuel prices for several reasons, including the following: surcharges cover only loaded miles we operate; surcharges do not cover miles driven out-of-route by our drivers; and surcharges typically do not cover refrigeration unit fuel usage or fuel burned by tractors while idling. Moreover, most of our business relating to shipments obtained from freight brokers does not carry a fuel surcharge. Finally, fuel surcharges vary in the percentage of reimbursement offered, and not all surcharges fully compensate for fuel price increases even on loaded miles.

The rate of fuel price changes also can have an impact on results. Most fuel surcharges are based on the average fuel price as published by the DOE for the week prior to the shipment, meaning we typically bill customers in the current week based on the previous week's applicable index. Therefore, in times of increasing fuel prices, we do not recover as much as we are currently paying for fuel. In periods of declining prices, the opposite is true. Fuel prices as measured by the DOE averaged approximately $0.45 per gallon, or 10.7%, lower in 2024 than 2023.

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To measure the effectiveness of our fuel surcharge program, we subtract fuel surcharge revenue (other than the fuel surcharge revenue we reimburse to independent contractors and other third-parties, which is included in purchased transportation) from our fuel expense. The result is referred to as net fuel expense. Our net fuel expense as a percentage of freight revenue is affected by the cost of diesel fuel net of fuel surcharge revenue, the percentage of miles driven by company tractors, our fuel economy, and our percentage of deadhead miles, for which we do not receive material fuel surcharge revenues. Net fuel expense is shown below:

Net fuel expense decreased $2.5 million, or 25.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2023. As a percentage of freight revenue, net fuel expense decreased 0.3% for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2023, primarily due to decreased fuel surcharge recovery partially offset by lower fuel prices. There were no diesel fuel hedge gains or loss for the years ended December 31, 2024 or 2023. As of December 31, 2024, we had no remaining fuel hedge contracts.

We expect to continue managing our idle time and tractor speeds, investing in more fuel-efficient tractors and auxiliary power units to improve our miles per gallon, locking in fuel hedges when deemed appropriate, partnering with customers to adjust fuel surcharge programs that are inadequate to recover a fair portion of fuel costs, and testing the latest technologies that reduce fuel consumption. Going forward, our net fuel expense is expected to fluctuate as a percentage of revenue based on factors such as diesel fuel prices, percentage recovered from fuel surcharge programs, percentage of uncompensated miles, percentage of revenue generated by team-driven tractors (which tend to generate higher miles and lower revenue per mile, thus proportionately more fuel cost as a percentage of revenue), percentage of revenue generated from independent contractors, and the success of fuel efficiency initiatives.

Operations and maintenance

The decrease in operations and maintenance expense was primarily related to the reduced maintenance costs as a result of the Company's strategic efforts to purchase newer equipment and replace older equipment that was more costly to maintain.

Going forward, we believe this category will fluctuate based on several factors, including the condition of the driver market and our ability to hire and retain drivers, our continued ability to maintain a relatively young fleet, accident severity and frequency, weather, the reliability of new and untested revenue equipment models, and the global disruption of the supply chain. Additionally, operations and maintenance costs may increase if we experience wage and parts inflation.

Revenue equipment rentals and purchased transportation

The decrease in revenue equipment rentals and purchased transportation was primarily the result of a reduction in purchased transportation costs in our Managed Freight reportable segment as a result of the softening freight market, the reduction in leased revenue equipment as the result of largely transitioning from tractors held under operating leases to owned tractors in 2023. These decreases were partially offset by a slight increase in the percentage of the total miles run by independent contractors from 7.5% for 2023 to 7.8% for 2024.

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We expect purchased transportation to fluctuate as volumes in our Managed Freight reportable segment may be volatile. In addition, if fuel prices increase, it would result in a further increase in what we pay third-party carriers and independent contractors. However, this expense category will fluctuate with the number and percentage of loads hauled by independent contractors, loads handled by Managed Freight, and tractors, trailers, and other assets financed with operating leases. In addition, factors such as the cost to obtain third-party transportation services and the amount of fuel surcharge revenue passed through to the third-party carriers and independent contractors will affect this expense category. If industry-wide trucking capacity tightens in relation to freight demand, we may need to increase the amounts we pay to third-party transportation providers and independent contractors, which could increase this expense category on an absolute basis and as a percentage of freight revenue absent an offsetting increase in revenue. If we were to recruit more independent contractors we would expect this line item to increase as a percentage of revenue.

Operating taxes and licenses

For the period presented, the change in operating taxes and licenses is insignificant both as a percentage of total revenue and freight revenue.

Insurance and claims

Insurance and claims per mile cost increased to 21.7 cents per mile for 2024 from 19.1 cents per mile in 2023. The increase is primarily the result of an increase in current period claims expense including a large current year claim incurred partially offset by a decrease in insurance premiums compared to 2023.

Our insurance program includes multi-year policies with specific insurance limits that may be eroded over the course of the policy term. If that occurs, we will be operating with less liability insurance coverage at various levels of our insurance tower. For the policy period that ran from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021, the aggregate limits available in the coverage layer $9.0 million in excess of $1.0 million were fully eroded based on claims expense. We replaced our $9.0 million in excess of $1.0 million layer with a new $7.0 million in excess of $3.0 million policy effective starting January 28, 2021 that we continue to maintain. Due to the erosion of the $9.0 million in excess of $1.0 million layer, any adverse developments in claims filed between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2021, could result in additional expense accruals. We have maintained our retention and limits set in place during the prior renewal cycle. Due to these developments, we may experience additional expense accruals, increased insurance and claims expenses, and greater volatility in our insurance and claims expenses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We expect insurance and claims expense to continue to be volatile over the long-term. Recently the trucking industry has experienced a decline in the number of carriers and underwriters that write insurance policies or that are willing to provide insurance for trucking companies.

Communications and utilities

For the period presented, the change in communications and utilities are insignificant both as a percentage of total revenue and freight revenue.

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General supplies and expenses

The increase in general supplies and expenses was primarily the result of a $15.8 million increase in the contingent consideration liability since the 2023 period related to the acquisition of LTST.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization consists primarily of depreciation of tractors, trailers and other capital assets (including those under finance leases), as well as amortization of intangible assets.

Depreciation increased $14.6 million in 2024 to $77.0 million compared to 2023, primarily as a result of the increased cost of new equipment purchased as part of our strategic initiative to support growth in our Dedicated segment and replace older equipment. Amortization of intangible assets increased $2.0 million in 2024 to $9.5 million compared to 2023, primarily due to the amortization of the intangible assets related to the LTST and Sims acquisitions.

We expect depreciation and amortization to increase going forward as the cost of new equipment increases and we see the effect of our equipment investment and replacement plan. Additionally, changes in the used tractor market could cause us to adjust residual values, increase depreciation, hold assets longer than planned, or experience increased losses on sale. Successfully executing our 2025 growth plan could also increase depreciation and amortization going forward.

Loss (gain) on disposition of property and equipment, net

The decrease in gain on disposition of property and equipment, net is primarily the result of the declining equipment values as a result of economic headwinds in the freight market and excess capacity challenges that continued in 2024.

For 2025 we expect gains on disposition of property and equipment to be more than those of 2024 as a result of a freight market that we expect to incrementally improve due to excess capacity that has exited the business.

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Interest expense, net

For the period presented, the increase in interest expense, net is primarily the result of an increase in revenue equipment installment notes as we implemented our 2024 revenue equipment replacement plan.

This line item will fluctuate based on our decision with respect to purchasing revenue equipment with balance sheet debt versus operating leases, our revenue equipment replacement plan, and changing interest rates.

Income from equity method investment

We have accounted for our investment in TEL using the equity method of accounting and thus our financial results include our proportionate share of TEL's net income. For the year ended December 31, 2024, our earnings resulting from our investment in TEL decreased to $14.7 million. The decrease in 2024 as compared to 2023 is the result of a reduction of gain on sale of revenue equipment. Due to TEL's business model, gains and losses on sale of equipment is a normal part of the business and can cause earnings to fluctuate from period to period and therefore our income from investment to similarly fluctuate. We expect TEL's results for 2025 to remain similar to those of 2024.

Income tax expense

The decrease in tax expense primarily relates to the decrease in operating income and earnings on investment in TEL as described above.

The effective tax rate is different from the expected combined tax rate due primarily to state tax expense and permanent differences. The rate impact of these items will fluctuate in future periods as income fluctuates.

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RESULTS OF SEGMENT OPERATIONS

We have four reportable segments, Expedited, Dedicated, Managed Freight, and Warehousing each as described under "Reportable Segments and Service Offerings" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following table summarizes revenue and operating income data by reportable segment and service offering:

Comparison of Year Ended December 31, 2024 to Year Ended December 31, 2023

Our Expedited total revenue decreased $7.4 million, as fuel surcharge revenue decreased $10.3 million and freight revenue increased $2.9 million. The increase in Expedited freight revenue relates to a 15 (or 1.7%) average tractor increase compared to 2023, partially offset by a decrease in average freight revenue per tractor per week of 1.1%. The decrease in average freight revenue per tractor per week is the result of a 1.7%, or 3.7 cents per mile, decrease in average rate per total mile partially offset by an approximately 0.9% increase in average miles per tractor when compared to 2023. Seated team driven tractors increased approximately 1.8% to an average of 829 teams in 2024 from 815 teams in 2023.

Our Dedicated total revenue increased $44.1 million, as freight revenue increased $49.3 million and fuel surcharge revenue decreased $5.2 million. The increase in Dedicated freight revenue relates to a 133 (or 10.8%) average tractor increase and an increase in average freight revenue per tractor per week of 6.6%, compared to 2023. The increase in average freight revenue per tractor per week is the result of a 8.0%, or 21.3 cents per mile, increase in average rate per total mile, as well as 1.0% fewer miles per tractor.

Managed Freight total revenue decreased $10.0 million in 2024, compared to 2023 as a result of reduced volumes of high-margin overflow freight from both Expedited and Dedicated truckload operations and excess capacity in the marketplace impacting freight rates and volumes. Revenue in this reportable segment is expected to fluctuate with changes in the freight market and our percentage of contracted versus non-contracted freight.

The $1.1 million increase in Warehousing total revenue is a result of period-over-period new customer business as well as rate increases with existing customers in 2024.

Total operating income was $44.8 million in 2024, compared to operating income of $58.8 million in 2023. In addition to the changes in revenue described above, the change was impacted by a $59.4 million increase in Dedicated operating expenses, partially offset by a $12.9 million, $4.0 million, and $0.7 million decrease in Managed Freight, Warehouse and Expedited operating expenses, respectively.

The decrease in Expedited operating expenses was primarily due to decreases in driver and non-driver pay, resulting from averaging fewer drivers and tractors compared to 2023, and lower fuel, maintenance, and parts costs. These decreases were partially offset by increased depreciation expense as a result of our equipment trade cycle. The increase in Dedicated operating expenses was primarily the result of averaging more drivers and tractors as a result of growth within LTST, resulting in higher driver and non-driver salaries, wages, and benefits, depreciation expense from equipment purchases to support the growth, and increases in the contingent consideration liability related to LTST since 2023. These increases were partially offset by decreased fuel expense as a result of declining fuel prices.

The decrease in Managed Freight operating expenses is the result of the changes in revenue driving changes in variable expenses, primarily purchased transportation. The decrease in Warehousing operating expenses is primarily the result of a reduction in outsourced labor since 2023. In our asset-light reportable segments, we are prioritizing long-term growth, as well as focusing on talent acquisition and technology enhancements.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our business requires significant capital investments over the short-term and the long-term. Historically, we have financed our capital requirements with borrowings under our Credit Facility, cash flows from operations, long-term operating leases, finance leases, secured installment notes with finance companies, and proceeds from the sale of our used revenue equipment. Going forward, we expect revenue equipment acquisitions to primarily be through purchases and finance leases. Further, we expect to increase our capital allocation toward our Dedicated, Managed Freight, and Warehousing reportable segments to become the go-to partner for our customers’ most critical transportation and logistics needs. We had working capital (total current assets less total current liabilities) of $32.6 million and $15.7 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Our working capital on any particular day can vary significantly due to the timing of collections and cash disbursements. Based on our expected financial condition, net capital expenditures, results of operations, related net cash flows, installment notes, and other sources of financing, we believe our working capital and sources of liquidity will be adequate to meet our current and projected needs and we do not expect to experience material liquidity constraints in the foreseeable future.

With an average tractor fleet age of 1.6 years, we believe we have flexibility to manage our fleet, and we plan to regularly evaluate our tractor replacement cycle, new tractor purchase requirements, and purchase options. If we were to grow our independent contractor fleet, our capital requirements would be reduced.

As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 we had $296.9 million and $293.5 million in debt and lease obligations, respectively, consisting of the following:

The increase in our revenue equipment installment notes was primarily due to equipment acquisition to support growth in our Dedicated reportable segment. The decrease in operating and finance lease obligations was primarily due to amortization of the respective lease liability.

As of December 31, 2024, we had no borrowings outstanding, undrawn letters of credit outstanding of approximately $19.8 million, and available borrowing capacity of $90.2 million under the Credit Facility. Additionally, we had availability of a $45.0 million line of credit from Triumph Bank ("Triumph") which is available solely to fund any indemnification owed to Triumph in relation to the sale of TFS. Fluctuations in the outstanding balance and related availability under our Credit Facility are driven primarily by cash flows from operations and the timing and nature of property and equipment additions that are not funded through notes payable and leases, as well as the nature and timing of collection of accounts receivable, payments of accrued expenses, and receipt of proceeds from disposals of property and equipment. Refer to Note 10, “Debt” of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information about material debt agreements.

Our net capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2024 totaled $80.8 million of expenditures as compared to $125.8 million of expenditures for the prior year. Our 2023 net capital investment included approximately $91 million invested in the fourth quarter to acquire new tractors and trailers, of which approximately $30 million was originally planned to be acquired in 2024. However, due to early availability and the ability to take advantage of certain tax incentives not available to us in 2024, we opportunistically elected to bring these purchases forward. Our baseline expectation for 2025 fleet net capital expenditures is a range of $70 million to $80 million and reflects our priorities of growing our Dedicated footprint, maintaining the average age of our fleet in a manner that allows us to optimize operational uptime and related operating costs, and offering a fleet of equipment that our professional drivers are proud to operate. These assumptions are subject to risk. For example, global supply chain disruptions similar to 2021 and 2022 could impact the availability of tractors and trailers and lead to increased pricing on new and used equipment. Net losses on disposal of equipment and real estate for December 31, 2024 were $1.6 million compared to a net gain of $12.6 million in 2023, which was primarily due to a $7.6 million gain on the sale of a Tennessee terminal during 2023.

We had commitments outstanding at December 31, 2024, to acquire revenue equipment totaling approximately $114.0 million in 2024 versus commitments at December 31, 2023 of approximately $156.6 million. These commitments are cancelable, subject to certain adjustments in the underlying obligations and benefits.

We distributed a total of $5.8 million to stockholders through dividends during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

We believe we have sufficient liquidity to satisfy our cash needs and will continue to evaluate the nature and extent of the potential short-term and long-term impacts to our business.

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Cash Flows

Net cash flows provided by operating activities increased to $122.9 million in 2024, compared with $84.8 million in 2023, primarily due to increases in non-cash expenses such as depreciation and amortization and reductions to non-cash gains on sale of property and equipment compared to 2023. Changes in operating assets and liabilities such as receivables and driver advances and insurance and claims accruals provided improved cash flow partially offset by a $19.3 million decrease in net income.

Net cash flows used by investing activities were $107.7 million in 2024, compared with $235.9 million used in 2023. The decrease in net cash flows used by investing activities was primarily due to the April 2023 and the August 2023 acquisitions of LTST and Sims, respectively, for $107.9 million, net of cash acquired, partially offset by the $4.6 million payment related to the acquisition of LTST and our Section 338(h)(10) election during the 2024 period, and the timing of our trade cycle whereby we took delivery of approximately 747 new tractors and 791 new trailers, while disposing of approximately 1,051 used tractors and 444 used trailers during 2024 compared to delivery of 1,242 new tractors and 1,111 new trailers, while disposing of approximately 1,235 used tractors and 634 used trailers in 2023. Additionally, the 2023 period provided $12.5 million of proceeds related to the sale of a Tennessee terminal.

Net cash flows provided by financing activities were approximately $18.1 million in 2024, compared to $84.7 million used in 2023. The change in net cash flows from financing activities was primarily the result of net proceeds relating to notes payable and our Credit Facility of $30.0 million compared to net proceeds of $129.7 million in 2023 and the repurchase of $25.4 million of shares of our Class A common stock during 2023 compared to none during 2024.

Net cash flows provided by operating activities and provided by financing activities in the 2024 period also included payment of $3.0 million and $7.0 million, respectively, of contingent consideration liabilities related to the acquisition of AAT. Net cash flows provided by operating activities and provided by financing activities in the 2023 period also included payment of $0.8 million and $9.2 million, respectively, of contingent consideration liabilities related to the acquisition of AAT.

On May 18, 2022 our Board approved a stock repurchase authorization of up to $75.0 million of our Class A common stock, with any remaining amount available under prior authorizations being excluded and no longer available. Under such authorization, we repurchased 2.0 million shares of our Class A common stock for $54.7 million during 2022. On January 30, 2023, the Board approved an amendment to the Company's stock repurchase program authorizing the purchase of up to an aggregate $55.0 million of our Class A common stock. The amendment added an incremental approximately $37.5 million to the approximately $17.5 million that was then-remaining under the program. Between May 2022 and April 2023, we repurchased a total of 2.7 million shares of our Class A common stock. The program expired on January 31, 2024.

Our cash flows may fluctuate depending on capital expenditures, future stock repurchases, dividends, strategic investments or divestitures, any indemnification calls related to the TFS settlement, and the extent of future income tax obligations and refunds.

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Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Operating Ratio

Operating Ratio (“OR”) For 2024 and 2023:

(1) "Amortization of intangibles" reflects the non-cash amortization expense relating to intangible assets.

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(1) "Amortization of intangibles" reflects the non-cash amortization expense relating to intangible assets.

In addition to operating ratio, we use "adjusted operating ratio" as a key measure of profitability. Adjusted operating ratio means operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue and intangibles amortization, expressed as a percentage of revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue. Adjusted operating ratio is not a substitute for operating ratio measured in accordance with GAAP. There are limitations to using non-GAAP financial measures. We believe the use of adjusted operating ratio allows us to more effectively compare periods, while excluding the potentially volatile effect of changes in fuel prices. Our Board and management focus on our adjusted operating ratio as an indicator of our performance from period to period. We believe our presentation of adjusted operating ratio is useful because it provides investors and securities analysts the same information that we use internally to assess our core operating performance. Although we believe that adjusted operating ratio improves comparability in analyzing our period-to-period performance, it could limit comparability to other companies in our industry, if those companies define adjusted operating ratio differently. Because of these limitations, adjusted operating ratio should not be considered a measure of income generated by our business or discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. Management compensates for these limitations by primarily relying on GAAP results and using non-GAAP financial measures on a supplemental basis.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make decisions based upon estimates, assumptions, and factors we consider as relevant to the circumstances. Such decisions include the selection of applicable accounting principles and the use of judgment in their application, the results of which impact reported amounts and disclosures. Changes in future economic conditions or other business circumstances may affect the outcomes of our estimates and assumptions. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those anticipated. A summary of the significant accounting policies followed in preparation of the financial statements is contained in Note 1, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies," of the consolidated financial statements attached hereto. The following discussion addresses our most critical accounting policies, which are those that are both important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and that require significant judgment or use of complex estimates.

Revenue Equipment

Management estimates the useful lives and salvage value of revenue equipment based upon, among other things, the expected use, our experience with similar assets, conditions in the used revenue equipment market, and prevailing industry practice. We generally depreciate new tractors over five years to salvage values that range from 0% to 35% of cost, depending on the reportable segment profile of the equipment. We generally depreciate new trailers over seven years for refrigerated trailers and ten years for dry van trailers to salvage values of approximately 20% and 25% of their cost, respectively. We performed a review of our estimates for certain subsets of revenue equipment during the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and, due to a weak used revenue equipment market, we increased the rate of depreciation on these units in the period. This change resulted in an additional $6.4 million of depreciation expense during the year ended December 31, 2024. Historically, changes in estimated useful life or salvage values have typically resulted from us transferring tractors to different reportable segments with different operating profiles. Significant fluctuations in the used equipment market could have a material effect on our results of operations.

A portion of our tractors are protected by binding trade-back agreements with the manufacturers. The remainder of our tractors and substantially all of our owned trailers are subject to fluctuations in market prices for used revenue equipment. Moreover, our trade-back agreements are contingent upon reaching acceptable terms for the purchase of new equipment. Declines in the price of used revenue equipment or failure to reach agreement for the purchase of new tractors with the manufacturers issuing trade-back agreements could result in impairment of, or losses on the sale of, revenue equipment.

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Business Combination Estimates

Acquisitions are accounted for using the purchase method. Consideration is typically paid in the form of cash paid at closing while contingent consideration is paid upon the satisfaction of a future obligation. If contingent consideration is included in the purchase price, then the consideration is valued as of the acquisition date. The purchase price of an acquired businesses is allocated to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the date of the acquisition. The assets acquired and liabilities assumed are determined by understanding the operations, interviewing management and reviewing the financial and contractual information of the acquired business.  The calculations used to determine the fair value of the long-lived assets acquired, including intangible assets, revenue equipment and properties can be complex and require significant judgment. For the valuation of long-lived assets we weigh many factors when completing these estimates. We may also engage independent valuation specialists to assist in the fair value calculations. During 2023 we engaged valuation specialists to assist us in determining the fair value of intangible assets and revenue equipment acquired through our acquisitions of LTST and Sims. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to impairment testing on at least an annual basis and its valuation is directly impacted by the valuation estimates of the other acquired long-lived assets. We are also required to determine if an intangible asset has a finite or indefinite life. For intangible assets determined to have a finite life, we estimate the useful lives of the acquired intangible assets, which determines the amount of acquisition-related amortization expense we will record in future periods. While we use our best estimates and assumptions, our fair value estimates are inherently uncertain. During the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, we may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Any adjustments required after the one year measurement period would be recorded in the consolidated statements of operations. The judgments required in determining the estimated fair values and expected useful lives assigned to each class of assets can significantly affect net income.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

We classify intangible assets into two categories: (i) goodwill and (ii) intangible assets with finite lives subject to amortization.

We test goodwill for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. We may elect to perform an assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying amount, including goodwill. When performing the qualitative assessment, the Company considers the impact of factors including, but not limited to, macroeconomic and industry conditions, overall financial performance of each reporting unit, litigation and new legislation. If, based on the qualitative assessments, the Company believes it more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying amount, or periodically as deemed appropriate by management, we will prepare an estimation of the respective reporting unit's fair value utilizing a quantitative approach. When using a quantitative approach, the fair value of our reporting units is based on a blend of estimated discounted cash flows and publicly traded company multiples. The results of these models are then weighted and combined into a single estimate of fair value for our reporting units. Estimated discounted cash flows are based on projected sales and related cost of sales. Publicly traded company multiples and acquisitions are derived from information on traded shares and analysis of recent acquisitions in the marketplace, respectively, for companies with operations similar to ours. The primary assumptions used in these various models include earnings multiples of acquisitions in a comparable industry, future cash flow estimates of each of the reporting units, weighted average cost of capital, working capital and capital expenditure requirements.

We completed our annual goodwill impairment test, using the qualitative test, as of October 1, 2024, for each of our reporting units. As a result of the most recent goodwill impairment analysis performed (October 1, 2024), no impairment was indicated.

We test intangible assets with finite lives for impairment if conditions exist that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Such conditions may include an economic downturn in a geographic market or a change in the assessment of future operations. We record an impairment charge when the cost exceeds the fair value of the finite lived intangible asset. We determine the useful lives of our identifiable intangible assets after considering the specific facts and circumstances related to each intangible asset. Factors we consider when determining useful lives include the contractual term of any agreement, the history of the asset, our long-term strategy for the use of the asset, any laws or other local regulations which could impact the useful life of the asset, and other economic factors, including competition and specific market conditions. Intangible assets that are deemed to have finite lives are amortized, generally on a straight-line basis, over their useful lives, ranging from 3 to 17 years.

Self-Insurance Accruals

We record a liability for the estimated cost of the uninsured portion of pending claims and the estimated allocated loss adjustment expenses including legal and other direct costs associated with a claim. Estimates require, among other things, judgments concerning the nature and severity of the claim, historical trends, advice from third-party administrators and insurers, the size of any potential damage award based on factors such as the specific facts of individual cases, the jurisdictions involved, the prospect of punitive damages, future medical costs, and inflation estimates of future claims development, and the legal and other costs to settle or defend the claims.

Self-insured liabilities represent management's best estimate of our ultimate obligations.

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INFLATION, NEW EMISSIONS CONTROL REGULATIONS, AND FUEL COSTS

Most of our operating expenses are inflation-sensitive, with inflation generally producing increased costs of operations. In recent years, the most significant effects of inflation have been on revenue equipment prices and the related depreciation, litigation and claims, and driver and non-driver wages. New emissions control regulations and increases in wages of manufacturing workers and other items have resulted in higher tractor prices, while the market value of used equipment fluctuated significantly. The cost of fuel has been volatile over the last several years, with costs increasing in 2022 but decreasing in 2023 and 2024. Health care prices have increased faster than general inflation, primarily due to the rapid increase in prescription drug costs and more people on our health plan. The nationwide shortage of qualified drivers has caused us to raise driver wages per mile at a rate faster than general inflation for the past four years, and this trend may continue as additional government regulations constrain industry capacity. Additionally, competition and the related cost to employ non-drivers have increased, especially for the more skilled or technical positions, including mechanics, those with information technology related skills, and degreed professionals.

Geographic Areas

We operate throughout the U.S. and all of our tractors are domiciled in the U.S. All of our revenue generated was generated within the U.S. in 2023 and 2024. We do not separately track domestic and foreign revenue from customers, and providing such information would not be meaningful. Excluding a de minimis number of trailers, all of our long-lived assets are, and have been for the last two fiscal years, located within the United States.

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SEASONALITY

Our tractor productivity decreases during the winter season because inclement weather impedes operations, and some shippers reduce their shipments after the winter holiday season. Our Expedited reportable segment, has historically experienced a greater reduction in first quarter demand than our other operations, however, this trend has lessened following the growth of AAT, which is part of the Expedited reportable segment, and our work with long-term customers to improve the stability of contracted capacity in our Expedited fleet. Revenue also can be affected by bad weather, holidays and the number of business days that occur during a given period, since revenue is directly related to available working days of shippers. At the same time, operating expenses increase and fuel efficiency declines because of engine idling and harsh weather creating higher accident frequency, increased claims, and more equipment repairs. In addition, many of our customers, particularly those in the retail industry where we have a large presence, demand additional capacity during the fourth quarter, which limits our ability to take advantage of more attractive spot market rates that generally exist during such periods. Further, despite our efforts to meet such demands, we may fail to do so, which may result in lost future business opportunities with such customers, which could have a materially adverse effect on our operations. Recently, the duration of this increased period of demand in the fourth quarter has shortened, with certain customers requiring the same volume of shipments over a more condensed timeframe, resulting in increased stress and demand on our network, people, and systems. If this trend continues, it could make satisfying our customers and maintaining the quality of our service during the fourth quarter increasingly difficult. We may also suffer from natural disasters and weather-related events, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, floods, and fires, which may increase in frequency and severity due to climate change, as well as other man-made disasters. These events may disrupt fuel supplies, increase fuel costs, disrupt freight shipments or routes, affect regional economies, destroy our assets, or adversely affect the business or financial condition of our customers, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations or make our results of operations more volatile. Weather and other seasonal events could adversely affect our operating results.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read together with “Business” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and Part I “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and elsewhere in this report. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

We are a leading provider of high-service truckload transportation and logistics services. Our strategy is to focus on value-added, less commoditized portions of our customers’ supply chains and thereby become embedded in their business processes. We believe disciplined planning and execution of our strategy will continue to reduce the cyclicality and seasonality of our financial results through growth in higher margin, less volatile services, which in turn will enhance sustainable long-term earnings power and return on invested capital for our stockholders.

Our four reportable segments are Expedited, Dedicated, Managed Freight, and Warehousing, each as described under “Reportable Segments and Service Offerings” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. For 2023, despite the challenges that came with a soft freight market, we achieved our second highest adjusted annual earnings per diluted share in our history while improving the durability and diversification of our business through the acquisitions of LTST and Sims. We also increased our quarterly dividend and repurchased approximately 5% of the shares of our outstanding Class A common stock at a weighted average share price of approximately $34 per share. Within our Expedited reportable segment, both total revenue and margins declined year over year primarily as a result of rate pressure, however, these headwinds were partially offset by an almost 8% improvement in utilization year-over-year. Within our Dedicated reportable segment, we have worked hard over the last three years to improve the profitability within this segment by exiting unprofitable business and adding profitable business and we are pleased with the improvement to adjusted operating income compared to 2022. Managed Freight experienced significant reductions in both revenue and operating income with reduced volumes of high-margin overflow freight from both Expedited and Dedicated truckload operations and little to no project related freight during the year given changes in the freight market. The brokerage environment remains highly competitive with numerous brokers aggressively competing for volumes at the expense of margin. We anticipate continued margin pressure in this environment. Warehousing was able to grow revenue through new customer startups and improve margins with contractual pricing increases put into place during the year. We are continuing to work to increase the operating income and related margins in each of these segments by executing on our pipeline of new business, focused cost savings initiatives and additional proposed customer rate increases with existing customers within our Warehousing reportable segment.

The table below reflects the total revenue trends in each of these reportable segments:

Our consolidated financial results are summarized as follows:

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Outlook

The Company’s consistently good performance in a weak freight market is evidence that our strategic plan is working. Over the past two years, we reallocated a significant amount of fixed assets away from underperforming and highly cyclical legacy operations toward acquiring three high-performing, more steady businesses.  The result has been better margins, more stable earnings, and improved returns on capital compared with our legacy operations during previous downturns.  While we are pleased with our results, we are also optimistic about our ability to make incremental improvements by continuing to invest in our team, identifying and mitigating risk, providing customers with superior service, and rigorously allocating capital across the enterprise.

With continued diligence and accountability, we expect to grow our market share organically and through acquisitions, continue to improve our operations, and be a stronger, more profitable, and more predictable business with the opportunity for significant and sustained value creation. Based on our anticipated cash flow generation profile, we expect to be able to continue our cash dividend program and evaluate a full range of capital allocation alternatives, including maintaining a lower leveraged balance sheet compared to 2020, organic growth, acquisition and disposition opportunities, and stock repurchases.

As we look to 2024, we do not see anything in the first half of the year that would indicate a near-term recovery of the freight market.  We anticipate a continuation of difficult conditions where capacity continues to exit the market at a rate that yields steady but modest improvement. In the first quarter, we expect our revenue and earnings to decline, reflecting normal seasonality and the temporary headwinds of severe inclement weather conditions, year over year rate reductions in our Expedited reportable segment and incremental costs associated with a large new customer startup within our Dedicated reportable segment.  Despite these short-term headwinds, we believe our more resilient operating model, together with the steps we have taken to reduce costs and inefficiencies, have positioned us well for another successful year.

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RESULTS OF CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS

Our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in this document generally discusses 2023 and 2022 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022. Discussions of 2021 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2022 and 2021 that are not included in this document can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

The following table sets forth total revenue and freight revenue (total revenue less fuel surcharge revenue) for the periods indicated:

Revenue

The decrease in total revenue resulted from a $62.1 million, $22.7 million, and $11.6 million decrease in Managed Freight, Dedicated, and Expedited freight revenue, respectively, partially offset by a $20.5 million increase in freight revenue from our Warehousing reportable segment.

See results of reportable segment operations section for discussion of fluctuations.

For comparison purposes in the discussion below, we use total revenue and freight revenue (total revenue less fuel surcharge revenue) when discussing changes as a percentage of revenue.

For each expense item discussed below, we have provided a table setting forth the relevant expense first as a percentage of total revenue, and then as a percentage of freight revenue.

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Salaries, wages, and related expenses

The decrease in salaries, wages, and related expenses on a dollars basis is primarily the result of averaging fewer drivers and tractors resulting in lower driver salaries, wages, and benefits, partially offset by driver and non-driver, including shop technicians, pay and benefits increases, as well as increased group health costs and executive retirement costs since 2022.

We believe driver and non-driver, including shop technicians, pay and benefits will continue to increase as the result of wage inflation, higher healthcare costs, and, in certain periods, increased incentive compensation due to better performance. Driver pay may also fluctuate based on the number of miles driven. While driver pay remains stable at the present time, we have historically put driver pay increases in place as necessary to address driver market pressure and will continue to do so in the future as necessary. If freight market rates increase, we would expect to, as we have historically, pass a portion of those rate increases on to our professional drivers. Salaries, wages, and related expenses will fluctuate to some extent based on the percentage of revenue generated by independent contractors and our Managed Freight reportable segment, for which payments are reflected in the purchased transportation line item.

Fuel expense

The decreases in total fuel expense are primarily related to lower fuel prices in 2023 and the poor fuel economy of leased tractors abandoned during 2022, as well as a 0.6% decrease in total miles.

We receive a fuel surcharge on our loaded miles from most shippers; however, in times of increasing fuel prices, this does not cover the entire increase in fuel prices for several reasons, including the following: surcharges cover only loaded miles we operate; surcharges do not cover miles driven out-of-route by our drivers; and surcharges typically do not cover refrigeration unit fuel usage or fuel burned by tractors while idling. Moreover, most of our business relating to shipments obtained from freight brokers does not carry a fuel surcharge. Finally, fuel surcharges vary in the percentage of reimbursement offered, and not all surcharges fully compensate for fuel price increases even on loaded miles.

The rate of fuel price changes also can have an impact on results. Most fuel surcharges are based on the average fuel price as published by the DOE for the week prior to the shipment, meaning we typically bill customers in the current week based on the previous week's applicable index. Therefore, in times of increasing fuel prices, we do not recover as much as we are currently paying for fuel. In periods of declining prices, the opposite is true. Fuel prices as measured by the DOE averaged approximately $0.78 per gallon, or 15.6%, lower in 2023 than 2022.

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To measure the effectiveness of our fuel surcharge program, we subtract fuel surcharge revenue (other than the fuel surcharge revenue we reimburse to independent contractors and other third-parties, which is included in purchased transportation) from our fuel expense. The result is referred to as net fuel expense. Our net fuel expense as a percentage of freight revenue is affected by the cost of diesel fuel net of fuel surcharge revenue, the percentage of miles driven by company tractors, our fuel economy, and our percentage of deadhead miles, for which we do not receive material fuel surcharge revenues. Net fuel expense is shown below:

Net fuel expense increased $2.9 million, or 40.5%, for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to 2022. As a percentage of freight revenue, net fuel expense increased 0.3% for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to 2022, primarily due to decreased fuel surcharge recovery partially offset by lower fuel prices. There were no diesel fuel hedge gains or loss for the years ended December 31, 2023 or 2022. As of December 31, 2023, we had no remaining fuel hedge contracts.

We expect to continue managing our idle time and tractor speeds, investing in more fuel-efficient tractors and auxiliary power units to improve our miles per gallon, locking in fuel hedges when deemed appropriate, partnering with customers to adjust fuel surcharge programs that are inadequate to recover a fair portion of fuel costs, and testing the latest technologies that reduce fuel consumption. Going forward, our net fuel expense is expected to fluctuate as a percentage of revenue based on factors such as diesel fuel prices, percentage recovered from fuel surcharge programs, percentage of uncompensated miles, percentage of revenue generated by team-driven tractors (which tend to generate higher miles and lower revenue per mile, thus proportionately more fuel cost as a percentage of revenue), percentage of revenue generated from independent contractors, and the success of fuel efficiency initiatives.

Operations and maintenance

The decrease in operations and maintenance expense was primarily related to the reduced maintenance costs as a result of a decrease in the average age of equipment through the replacement of older tractors that experienced higher operating costs as well as having fewer new drivers and a smaller average fleet as compared to 2022. Additionally, 2022 included unusually high maintenance costs on abandoned leased tractors.

Going forward, we believe this category will fluctuate based on several factors, including the condition of the driver market and our ability to hire and retain drivers, our continued ability to maintain a relatively young fleet, accident severity and frequency, weather, the reliability of new and untested revenue equipment models, and the global disruption of the supply chain. Additionally, operations and maintenance costs may increase if we experience wage and parts inflation.

Revenue equipment rentals and purchased transportation

The decrease in revenue equipment rentals and purchased transportation was primarily the result of a reduction in purchased transportation costs in our Managed Freight reportable segment as a result of the softening freight market, the reduction in leased revenue equipment as the result of largely transitioning from tractors held under operating leases to owned tractors in 2022, and the recognition of $7.5 million of expense related to the early lease abandonment and disposal charges for tractors pulled from operations during the fourth quarter of 2022. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in the percentage of the total miles run by independent contractors from 6.6% for 2022 to 7.5% for 2023.

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We expect purchased transportation to fluctuate as volumes in our Managed Freight reportable segment may be volatile. In addition, if fuel prices increase, it would result in a further increase in what we pay third-party carriers and independent contractors. However, this expense category will fluctuate with the number and percentage of loads hauled by independent contractors, loads handled by Managed Freight, and tractors, trailers, and other assets financed with operating leases. In addition, factors such as the cost to obtain third-party transportation services and the amount of fuel surcharge revenue passed through to the third-party carriers and independent contractors will affect this expense category. If industry-wide trucking capacity tightens in relation to freight demand, we may need to increase the amounts we pay to third-party transportation providers and independent contractors, which could increase this expense category on an absolute basis and as a percentage of freight revenue absent an offsetting increase in revenue. If we were to recruit more independent contractors we would expect this line item to increase as a percentage of revenue.

Operating taxes and licenses

For the period presented, the change in operating taxes and licenses is insignificant both as a percentage of total revenue and freight revenue.

Insurance and claims

Insurance and claims per mile cost decreased slightly to 19.1 cents per mile for 2023 from 19.2 cents per mile in 2022. The decrease is primarily the result of a reduction in outside claims partially offset by an increase in insurance premiums compared to 2022.

Our insurance program includes multi-year policies with specific insurance limits that may be eroded over the course of the policy term. If that occurs, we will be operating with less liability coverage insurance at various levels of our insurance tower. For the policy period that ran from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021, the aggregate limits available in the coverage layer $9.0 million in excess of $1.0 million were fully eroded based on claims expense. We replaced our $9.0 million in excess of $1.0 million layer with a new $7.0 million in excess of $3.0 million policy that runs from January 28, 2021 to April 1, 2024. Due to the erosion of the $9.0 million in excess of $1.0 million layer, any adverse developments in claims filed between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2021, could result in additional expense accruals. We have maintained our retention and limits set in place during the prior renewal cycle. Due to these developments, we may experience additional expense accruals, increased insurance and claims expenses, and greater volatility in our insurance and claims expenses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We expect insurance and claims expense to continue to be volatile over the long-term. Recently the trucking industry has experienced a decline in the number of carriers and underwriters that write insurance policies or that are willing to provide insurance for trucking companies.

Communications and utilities

For the period presented, the change in communications and utilities are insignificant both as a percentage of total revenue and freight revenue.

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General supplies and expenses

The increase in general supplies and expenses was primarily the result of an increase of $4.6 million for new leased spaces for our Warehousing reportable segment from 2022 to 2023 and the $3.0 million increase in the contingent consideration liability since the 2022 period related to the acquisition of AAT.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization consists primarily of depreciation of tractors, trailers and other capital assets (including those under finance leases), as well as amortization of intangible assets.

Depreciation increased $9.2 million in 2023 to $62.4 million compared to 2022, primarily as a result of increased costs on new equipment and a higher percentage of owned tractors as we transitioned a large portion of tractors from operating leases to owned during 2022.  These increases were partially offset by reduced average total tractor count. Amortization of intangible assets increased $3.2 million in 2023 to $7.5 million compared to 2022, primarily due to the amortization of the intangible assets related to the LTST and Sims acquisitions.

We expect depreciation and amortization to increase going forward as the cost of new equipment increases and we see the full year effect of our 2023 equipment replacement plan. Additionally, changes in the used tractor market could cause us to adjust residual values, increase depreciation, hold assets longer than planned, or experience increased losses on sale. Successfully executing our 2024 growth plan could also increase depreciation and amortization going forward.

Gain on disposition of property and equipment, net

The decrease in gain on disposition of property and equipment, net is primarily the result of the $38.5 million gain on sale of a California terminal in the third quarter of 2022 partially offset by an increase in the sale of used equipment compared to 2022 and the $7.6 million gain on sale of a Tennessee terminal in the first quarter of 2023.

For 2024 we expect gains on disposition of property and equipment to be less than those of 2023 as a result of having no large real estate property sales planned and having executed our 2023 equipment replacement plan which has helped return us to a more normalized equipment replacement cycle.

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Interest expense, net

For the period presented, the increase in interest expense, net is primarily the result of an increase in revenue equipment installment notes as we implemented our 2023 revenue equipment replacement plan.

This line item will fluctuate based on our decision with respect to purchasing revenue equipment with balance sheet debt versus operating leases, our revenue equipment replacement plan, and changing interest rates.

Income from equity method investment

We have accounted for our investment in TEL using the equity method of accounting and thus our financial results include our proportionate share of TEL's net income. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our earnings resulting from our investment in TEL decreased to $21.4 million. The decrease in 2023 as compared to 2022 is the result of a reduction of gain on sale of revenue equipment. Due to TEL's business model, gains and losses on sale of equipment is a normal part of the business and can cause earnings to fluctuate from period to period and therefore our income from investment to similarly fluctuate. We expect TEL's results for 2024 to remain similar to those of 2023.

Income tax expense

The decrease in tax expense primarily relates to the decrease in operating income and earnings on investment in TEL as described above.

The effective tax rate is different from the expected combined tax rate due primarily to state tax expense and permanent differences, such as executive compensation disallowance in 2022. The nondeductible effect of the per diem payments was temporarily suspended for 2022 in accordance with IRS guidance issued during the quarter ended December 31, 2021. The rate impact of these items will fluctuate in future periods as income fluctuates.

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RESULTS OF SEGMENT OPERATIONS

We have four reportable segments, Expedited, Dedicated, Managed Freight, and Warehousing each as described under "Reportable Segments and Service Offerings" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following table summarizes revenue and operating income data by reportable segment and service offering:

Comparison of Year Ended December 31, 2023 to Year Ended December 31, 2022

Our Expedited total revenue decreased $28.9 million, as freight revenue decreased $11.6 million and fuel surcharge revenue decreased $17.3 million. The decrease in Expedited freight revenue relates to a decrease in average freight revenue per tractor per week of 1.4% compared to 2022 as well as a 17 (or 1.9%) average tractor decrease. The decrease in average freight revenue per tractor per week is the result of an 8.2%, or 19.1 cents per mile, decrease in average rate per total mile partially offset by an approximately 7.5% increase in average miles per tractor when compared to 2022. Seated team driven tractors increased approximately 5.0% to an average of 815 teams in 2023 from 776 teams in 2022.

Our Dedicated total revenue decreased $42.7 million, as freight revenue decreased $22.7 million and fuel surcharge revenue decreased $20.0 million. The decrease in Dedicated freight revenue relates to a 168 (or 12.0%) average tractor decrease partially offset by an increase in average freight revenue per tractor per week of 4.7%, compared to 2022. The increase in average freight revenue per tractor per week is the result of a 1.3%, or 3.4 cents per mile, increase in average rate per total mile, as well as 3.4% more miles per tractor.

Managed Freight total revenue decreased $62.1 million in 2023, compared to 2022 as a result of reduced volumes of high-margin overflow freight from both Expedited and Dedicated truckload operations. Revenue in this reportable segment is expected to fluctuate with changes in the freight market and our percentage of contracted versus non-contracted freight.

The $20.4 million increase in Warehousing total revenue is a result of period-over-period new customer business as well as rate increases with existing customers since the third quarter of 2023.

Total operating income was $58.8 million in 2023, compared to operating income of $120.7 million in 2022. In addition to the changes in revenue described above, the change was impacted by a $39.3 million and $34.6 million decrease in Dedicated and Managed Freight operating expenses, respectively, partially offset by a $19.7 million and $2.8 million increase in Warehousing and Expedited operating expenses, respectively.

The increase in Expedited operating expenses was primarily due to the Expedited portion of the gain sale of a California terminal during the third quarter of 2022 (which resulted in lower operating expenses during 2022), increases in depreciation expense as a result of our equipment trade cycle, driver and non-driver pay increases, and increases in the contingent consideration liability related to AAT since 2022. These increases were partially offset by decreased fuel and maintenance and parts costs as well as averaging fewer drivers and tractors compared to 2022. The decrease in Dedicated operating expenses was primarily the result of averaging fewer drivers and tractors, resulting in lower driver salaries, wages, and benefits, reduced use of third-party purchased transportation, decreased fuel costs, and decreased maintenance and parts costs. Additionally, Expedited and Dedicated operating expenses were reduced as a result of the sale of a Tennessee terminal during 2023.

The decrease in Managed Freight operating expenses is the result of the changes in revenue driving changes in variable expenses, primarily purchased transportation. The increase in Warehousing operating expenses is a result of additional leased space and equipment for new business and pay increases, partially offset by a reduction in outsourced labor since 2022. In our asset-light reportable segments, we are prioritizing long-term growth, focusing on talent acquisition, and technology enhancements.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our business requires significant capital investments over the short-term and the long-term. Historically, we have financed our capital requirements with borrowings under our Credit Facility, cash flows from operations, long-term operating leases, finance leases, secured installment notes with finance companies, and proceeds from the sale of our used revenue equipment. Going forward, we expect revenue equipment acquisitions to primarily be through purchases and finance leases. Further, we expect to increase our capital allocation toward our Dedicated, Managed Freight, and Warehousing reportable segments to become the go-to partner for our customers’ most critical transportation and logistics needs. We had working capital (total current assets less total current liabilities) of $15.7 million and $66.5 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our working capital on any particular day can vary significantly due to the timing of collections and cash disbursements. Based on our expected financial condition, net capital expenditures, results of operations, related net cash flows, installment notes, and other sources of financing, we believe our working capital and sources of liquidity will be adequate to meet our current and projected needs and we do not expect to experience material liquidity constraints in the foreseeable future.

With an average tractor fleet age of 1.6 years, we believe we have flexibility to manage our fleet, and we plan to regularly evaluate our tractor replacement cycle, new tractor purchase requirements, and purchase options. If we were to grow our independent contractor fleet, our capital requirements would be reduced.

As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 we had $293.5 million and $179.6 million in debt and lease obligations, respectively, consisting of the following:

The increase in our revenue equipment installment notes was primarily due to replacing our older revenue equipment with new equipment. The decrease in operating lease obligations was primarily due to largely having transitioned from tractors held under operating leases to owned tractors in 2022 as well as amortization of the operating lease liability. During the third quarter of 2023, we repaid $40.1 million in borrowings under the Credit Facility that we had incurred during 2023 to help fund the acquisition of LTST and repurchases of our Class A Common Stock under the stock repurchase program.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $11.6 million of borrowings outstanding, undrawn letters of credit outstanding of approximately $21.8 million, and available borrowing capacity of $76.6 million under the Credit Facility. Additionally, we had availability of a $45.0 million line of credit from Triumph Bank ("Triumph") which is available solely to fund any indemnification owed to Triumph in relation to the sale of TFS. Fluctuations in the outstanding balance and related availability under our Credit Facility are driven primarily by cash flows from operations and the timing and nature of property and equipment additions that are not funded through notes payable and leases, as well as the nature and timing of collection of accounts receivable, payments of accrued expenses, and receipt of proceeds from disposals of property and equipment. Refer to Note 10, “Debt” of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information about material debt agreements.

Our net capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2023 totaled $125.8 million of expenditures as compared to $47.5 million of expenditures for the prior year. Our 2023 net capital investment included approximately $91 million invested in the fourth quarter to acquire new tractors and trailers, of which approximately $30 million was originally planned to be acquired in 2024. However, due to early availability and the ability to take advantage of certain tax incentives not available to us in 2024, we opportunistically elected to bring these purchases forward. For 2024, we are planning for a more normalized equipment replacement cycle with the potential for some growth if we're able to successfully execute on our growth plan for our Dedicated reportable segment. Our baseline expectation for 2024 fleet net capital expenditures is a range of $55 million to $65 million, with the majority taking place during the second half of the year. These assumptions are subject to risk. For example, global supply chain disruptions similar to 2021 and 2022 could impact the availability of tractors and trailers and lead to increased pricing on new and used equipment. Net gains on disposal of equipment and real estate for December 31, 2023 were $12.6 million compared to $40.3 million in 2022 primarily due to the $38.5 million gain on a California terminal during 2022 and a $7.6 million gain on the sale of a Tennessee terminal during 2023.

We had commitments outstanding at December 31, 2023, to acquire revenue equipment totaling approximately $156.6 million in 2023 versus commitments at December 31, 2023 of approximately $156.6 million. These commitments are cancelable, subject to certain adjustments in the underlying obligations and benefits.

We distributed a total of $5.8 million to stockholders during December 31, 2023 through dividends compared to $4.3 million during 2022.

We believe we have sufficient liquidity to satisfy our cash needs, and will continue to evaluate the nature and extent of the potential short-term and long-term impacts to our business.

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Cash Flows

Net cash flows provided by operating activities decreased to $84.8 million in 2023, compared with $159.2 million in 2022, primarily due to an increase in receivables and driver advances as a result of an increase in our average receivable days outstanding and a $53.5 million decrease of net income, which is partially the result of the $38.5 million gain on sale of a California terminal during 2022, and a $1.7 million indemnification payment during 2023.

Net cash flows used by investing activities were $235.9 million in 2023, compared with $86.2 million used in 2022. The increase in net cash flows used by investing activities was primarily the result of timing of our trade cycle whereby we took delivery of approximately 1,242 new company tractors and disposed of approximately 1,235 used tractors in 2023, compared to delivery of 458 new company tractors and disposal of 223 used company tractors in 2022, the April 2023 acquisition of LTST, and the August 2023 acquisition of Sims. The 2022 period includes the February 2022 acquisition of AAT as well as the sale of a California terminal.

Net cash flows provided by financing activities were approximately $84.7 million in 2023, compared to $12.8 million used in 2022. The change in net cash flows from financing activities was primarily the result of net proceeds relating to notes payable and our Credit Facility of $129.7 million in 2023, compared to net proceeds of $77.7 million in 2022, the repurchase of $25.4 million of shares of our Class A common stock during 2023 compared to $84.7 million during 2022, as well as the payment of approximately $5.8 million in dividends during 2023 compared to $4.3 million during 2022.

Net cash flows provided by operating activities and financing activities in the 2023 period also included payment of $0.8 million and $9.2 million, respectively, of contingent consideration liabilities related to the acquisition of AAT.

On May 18, 2022, our Board approved a new stock repurchase authorization of up to $75.0 million of our Class A common stock, with any remaining amount available under prior authorizations being excluded and no longer available. Under such authorization, we repurchased 2.0 million shares of our Class A common stock for $54.7 million during 2022. On January 30, 2023, the Board approved an amendment to the Company's stock repurchase program authorizing the purchase of up to an aggregate $55.0 million of our Class A common stock. The amendment added an incremental approximately $37.5 million to the approximately $17.5 million that was then-remaining under the program. Between May 2022 and April 2023, we repurchased a total of 2.7 million shares of our Class A common stock. No additional shares have been repurchased since April 2023 (through February 26, 2024).

Our cash flows may fluctuate depending on capital expenditures, future stock repurchases, dividends, strategic investments or divestitures, any indemnification calls related to the TFS settlement, and the extent of future income tax obligations and refunds.

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Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Operating Ratio

Operating Ratio (“OR”) For 2023 and 2022:

(1) "Amortization of intangibles" reflects the non-cash amortization expense relating to intangible assets.

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