XPO (NYSE: XPO) today announced its financial results for the third quarter 2024. The company reported diluted earnings from continuing operations per share of $0.79, compared with $0.72 for the same period in 2023, and adjusted diluted earnings from continuing operations per share of $1.02, compared with $0.88 for the same period in 2023.

Mario Harik, chief executive officer of XPO, said, “We reported strong year-over-year earnings growth in the third quarter, as we continued to improve the business in a soft freight environment. Companywide, we increased adjusted EBITDA by 20% and adjusted diluted EPS by 16%.

“In North American LTL, we grew adjusted operating income by 17% and achieved an adjusted operating ratio of 84.2% — 200 basis points better than the prior year, at the high end of our target range. We drove yield, ex-fuel, higher by 6.7% and increased revenue per shipment by 6.6%, underpinned by pricing gains. In addition, we generated stronger operating leverage on our top-line growth by managing variable costs more effectively with our proprietary technology. And we’re tracking three years ahead of plan with linehaul insourcing, which enhances our network efficiency and quality of service.”

Harik continued, “We’re delivering on the strong results we promised for 2024, while positioning the business to accelerate earnings growth when the freight market recovers. The world-class service we provide creates value for our customers and will continue to be a key driver of our margin expansion.”

Third Quarter Highlights

For the third quarter 2024, the company generated revenue of $2.05 billion, compared with $1.98 billion for the same period in 2023. The year-over-year increase in revenue was due primarily to higher yield in the North American LTL segment and volume growth in the European Transportation segment.

Operating income was $176 million for the third quarter, compared with $154 million for the same period in 2023. Net income from continuing operations was $95 million for the third quarter, compared with $86 million for the same period in 2023. Diluted earnings from continuing operations per share was $0.79 for the third quarter, compared with $0.72 for the same period in 2023.

Adjusted net income from continuing operations, a non-GAAP financial measure, was $122 million for the third quarter, compared with $105 million for the same period in 2023. Adjusted diluted EPS, a non-GAAP financial measure, was $1.02 for the third quarter, compared with $0.88 for the same period in 2023.

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”), a non-GAAP financial measure, was $333 million for the third quarter, compared with $278 million for the same period in 2023.

The company generated $264 million of cash flow from operating activities in the third quarter and ended the quarter with $378 million of cash and cash equivalents on hand, after $123 million of net capital expenditures.

Results by Business Segment

• North American Less-Than-Truckload (LTL): The segment generated revenue of $1.25 billion for the third quarter 2024, compared with $1.23 billion for the same period in 2023. On a year-over-year basis, shipments per day decreased 3.2%, tonnage per day decreased 3.9%, and yield, excluding fuel, increased 6.7%. Including fuel, yield increased 3.7%.
   
  Operating income was $188 million for the third quarter 2024, compared with $161 million for the same period in 2023. Adjusted operating income, a non-GAAP financial measure, was $198 million for the third quarter, compared with $170 million for the same period in 2023. Adjusted operating ratio, a non-GAAP financial measure, was 84.2%, reflecting a year-over-year improvement of 200 basis points.
   
  Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter 2024 was $284 million, compared with $241 million for the same period in 2023. The 18% increase in adjusted EBITDA was due primarily to higher yield, excluding fuel, and lower purchased transportation costs year-over-year, partially offset by lower fuel surcharge revenue.
   
• European Transportation: The segment generated revenue of $803 million for the third quarter 2024, compared with $752 million for the same period in 2023, primarily driven by volume growth. Operating income was $6 million for the third quarter, compared with $8 million for the same period in 2023.
   
  Adjusted EBITDA was $44 million for both the third quarter 2024 and the same period in 2023. 
   
• Corporate: The segment generated an operating loss of $18 million for the third quarter 2024, compared with a loss of $15 million for the same period in 2023.
   
  Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, was $5 million for the third quarter 2024, compared with a loss of $7 million for the same period in 2023, including a benefit of $9 million from a gain on a past investment in a private company that was sold in the quarter.

Conference Call

The company will hold a conference call on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Participants can call toll-free (from US/Canada) 1-877-269-7756; international callers dial +1-201-689-7817. A live webcast of the conference will be available on the investor relations area of the company’s website, xpo.com/investors. The conference will be archived until November 29, 2024. To access the replay by phone, call toll-free (from US/Canada) 1-877-660-6853; international callers dial +1-201-612-7415. Use participant passcode 13749187.

About XPO

XPO, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a leader in asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation in North America. The company’s customer-focused organization efficiently moves 18 billion pounds of freight per year, enabled by its proprietary technology. XPO serves approximately 54,000 customers with 611 locations and 38,000 employees in North America and Europe, with headquarters in Greenwich, Conn., USA. Visit xpo.com for more information, and connect with XPO on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

As required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), we provide reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures contained in this press release to the most directly comparable measure under GAAP, which are set forth in the financial tables attached to this press release.

XPO’s non-GAAP financial measures in this press release include: adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”) on a consolidated basis and for corporate; adjusted EBITDA margin on a consolidated basis; adjusted net income from continuing operations; adjusted diluted earnings from continuing operations per share (“adjusted diluted EPS”); adjusted operating income for our North American Less-Than-Truckload and European Transportation segments; and adjusted operating ratio for our North American Less-Than-Truckload segment.

We believe that the above adjusted financial measures facilitate analysis of our ongoing business operations because they exclude items that may not be reflective of, or are unrelated to, XPO and its business segments’ core operating performance, and may assist investors with comparisons to prior periods and assessing trends in our underlying businesses. Other companies may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures differently, and therefore our measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures should only be used as supplemental measures of our operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income from continuing operations, adjusted diluted EPS, adjusted operating income and adjusted operating ratio include adjustments for transaction and integration costs, as well as restructuring costs and other adjustments as set forth in the attached tables. Transaction and integration adjustments are generally incremental costs that result from an actual or planned acquisition, divestiture or spin-off and may include transaction costs, consulting fees, stock-based compensation, retention awards, internal salaries and wages (to the extent the individuals are assigned full-time to integration and transformation activities) and certain costs related to integrating and converging IT systems. Restructuring costs primarily relate to severance costs associated with business optimization initiatives. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in making financial, operating and planning decisions and evaluating XPO’s and each business segment’s ongoing performance.

We believe that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin improve comparability from period to period by removing the impact of our capital structure (interest and financing expenses), asset base (depreciation and amortization), tax impacts and other adjustments as set out in the attached tables that management has determined are not reflective of core operating activities and thereby assist investors with assessing trends in our underlying businesses. We believe that adjusted net income from continuing operations and adjusted diluted EPS improve the comparability of our operating results from period to period by removing the impact of certain costs and gains that management has determined are not reflective of our core operating activities, including amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, transaction and integration costs, restructuring costs and other adjustments as set out in the attached tables. We believe that adjusted operating income and adjusted operating ratio improve the comparability of our operating results from period to period by removing the impact of certain transaction and integration costs and restructuring costs, as well as amortization expenses as set out in the attached tables.

Forward-looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” “expect,” “objective,” “projection,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “effort,” “target,” “trajectory” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances.

These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to a material difference include the risks discussed in our filings with the SEC, and the following: the effects of business, economic, political, legal, and regulatory impacts or conflicts upon our operations; supply chain disruptions and shortages, strains on production or extraction of raw materials, cost inflation and labor and equipment shortages; our ability to align our investments in capital assets, including equipment, service centers, and warehouses to our customers’ demands; our ability to implement our cost and revenue initiatives; the effectiveness of our action plan, and other management actions, to improve our North American LTL business; our ability to continue insourcing linehaul in ways that enhance our network efficiency and service; the anticipated impact of a freight market recovery on our business; our ability to benefit from a sale, spin-off or other divestiture of one or more business units or to successfully integrate and realize anticipated synergies, cost savings and profit opportunities from acquired companies; goodwill impairment; issues related to compliance with data protection laws, competition laws, and intellectual property laws; fluctuations in currency exchange rates, fuel prices and fuel surcharges; the expected benefits of the spin-offs of GXO Logistics, Inc. and RXO, Inc.; our ability to develop and implement suitable information technology systems; the impact of potential cyber-attacks and information technology or data security breaches or failures; our indebtedness; our ability to raise debt and equity capital; fluctuations in interest rates; seasonal fluctuations; our ability to maintain positive relationships with our network of third-party transportation providers; our ability to attract and retain key employees including qualified drivers; labor matters; litigation; and competition and pricing pressures.

All forward-looking statements set forth in this release are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by us will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to or effects on us or our business or operations. Forward-looking statements set forth in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except to the extent required by law.