R-14Driver
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I recently discussed the difficulties of the trucking industry in an economy that's still a long way from a full recovery.
While the American Trucking Association's recent tonnage index indicated its largest decline since the economic recovery began in early 2009, there has also been positive data showing that some segments of the industry are not deteriorating. The most recently reported durable-goods orders, excluding transportation equipment orders like aircraft, showed an increase of 2% -- much larger than economists were expecting. Durable-goods orders are important for truckers, because they show that consumers are spending more on "white goods," which include large household purchases like refrigerators and washer/dryers.
While the improvement in durable goods is a boon, overcapacity and overleveraging still plagues operators. Look no further than industry poster child YRC Worldwide (Nasdaq: YRCWD), which just engineered a reverse stock split. YRC will be able to remain on the Nasdaq, but without the penny-stock-chasing crowd to buoy YRC's shares, investors may be more apt to focus on how the company is cleaning up its balance sheet and turning around its business. Unfortunately for YRC, both those efforts remain works in progress..............................
The Logistics of Transport (CHRW, EXPD, HUBG, JBHT, NSC, PACR)
While the American Trucking Association's recent tonnage index indicated its largest decline since the economic recovery began in early 2009, there has also been positive data showing that some segments of the industry are not deteriorating. The most recently reported durable-goods orders, excluding transportation equipment orders like aircraft, showed an increase of 2% -- much larger than economists were expecting. Durable-goods orders are important for truckers, because they show that consumers are spending more on "white goods," which include large household purchases like refrigerators and washer/dryers.
While the improvement in durable goods is a boon, overcapacity and overleveraging still plagues operators. Look no further than industry poster child YRC Worldwide (Nasdaq: YRCWD), which just engineered a reverse stock split. YRC will be able to remain on the Nasdaq, but without the penny-stock-chasing crowd to buoy YRC's shares, investors may be more apt to focus on how the company is cleaning up its balance sheet and turning around its business. Unfortunately for YRC, both those efforts remain works in progress..............................
The Logistics of Transport (CHRW, EXPD, HUBG, JBHT, NSC, PACR)
Knowledge is power.