U.S. Xpress Takes 1Q Loss

Truckload carrier U.S. Xpress Enterprises said late Thursday that it lost $2.6 million or 17 cents per share in the first quarter, compared with earning $730,000 or 5 cents a year ago.

Revenue rose 20% to $360.9 million, the company said late in a statement.

Truckload revenue excluding fuel surcharges rose 22% to $295.1 million. Truckload operations reported an operating loss of $1.2 million, compared with earning $4.4 million a year ago.

The company last week predicted it would take a first-quarter loss of 15 to 17 cents per share.

Co-chairman Patrick Quinn said the company’s Xpress Global Systems unit’s revenue rose 0.5% to $22.6 million and improved its quarterly year-over-year income for a fifth straight quarter.
 
U.S. Xpress is ranked No. 21 on the 2006 Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.