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Werner Enterprises (WERN)
NASDAQ:WERN

Werner Enterprises (WERN) AI Stock Analysis

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Werner Enterprises

(NASDAQ:WERN)

Rating:58Neutral
Price Target:
$28.00
▲(1.45%Upside)
Werner Enterprises faces significant challenges with profitability and valuation. The company's high P/E ratio and negative earnings results from the recent quarter weigh heavily on the score. Despite these issues, stability in its capital structure and strategic growth initiatives offer potential for future recovery.
Positive Factors
Fleet Growth Strategy
Werner Enterprises is targeting fleet growth and pursuing new Dedicated verticals to drive momentum.
Logistics Volume Growth
Logistics volumes for WERN are trending positive, with 90% of segment volumes increasing year-over-year.
New Contracts
WERN won important new contracts for its Dedicated business, which should be accretive over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Earnings Miss
WERN posted an adjusted 1Q25 loss per share of $0.12, coming in substantially below the average Street forecast of $0.12.
Margin Pressure
Analyst reiterates an Underperform rating for WERN due to cautiousness given margin pressure.
Operational Inefficiencies
Elevated insurance costs, extreme weather, and accelerated IT spend all coupled with operational inefficiencies to drive the large miss.

Werner Enterprises (WERN) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Werner Enterprises Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionWerner Enterprises, Inc. (WERN) is a leading transportation and logistics company based in the United States. Established in 1956, the company operates in the Truckload, Dedicated, Logistics, and Intermodal sectors, offering a broad range of services including truckload shipping, freight management, and supply chain solutions. Werner Enterprises is known for its commitment to safety, advanced technology, and sustainability initiatives, serving customers across various industries with a substantial fleet of trucks and trailers.
How the Company Makes MoneyWerner Enterprises primarily generates revenue through its truckload transportation services, which involve transporting full trailer loads of freight for customers across North America. The company's Dedicated segment provides customized transportation solutions for specific customer needs. In addition, Werner's Logistics division contributes to its revenue by offering freight management, brokerage, and supply chain services. The Intermodal segment leverages the company's expertise in integrating different modes of transportation, such as rail and truck, to provide efficient and cost-effective shipping solutions. Key revenue streams include long-term contracts with large shippers, spot market services, and partnerships with major retailers and manufacturers. Werner's investment in technology and fleet optimization also plays a significant role in enhancing operational efficiency and profitability.

Werner Enterprises Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Apr 29, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: -0.22%|
Next Earnings Date:Jul 30, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
Werner Enterprises faced a challenging Q1 with negative financial results driven by elevated insurance costs, weather disruptions, and tariff uncertainties. However, strategic growth in the Dedicated segment, progress in technology transformation, and strong liquidity provide a foundation for future improvements.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Dedicated Fleet Growth and New Contracts
Werner was awarded several fleet contracts during the quarter, representing over 200 trucks scheduled for implementation in late Q2 and early Q3. Awards signed this quarter were the highest since Q2 2022.
Technology Transformation Progress
All logistics loads except Final Mile are running through the EDGE TMS platform. More than half of One-Way Truckload volume and a quarter of Dedicated volume are in EDGE, with expectations of increased productivity gains by Q4 2025.
Cost Savings Initiatives
Werner has taken out $100 million in costs over the last two years and increased its 2025 cost savings target from $25 million to $40 million, achieving $8 million in savings in Q1.
Strong Liquidity Position
Werner's liquidity reached a new high point of $777 million, up nearly 70% from year-end, due to a new $300 million credit facility.
Negative Updates
Negative Financial Performance
Revenues were down 7% year-over-year, adjusted EPS was negative $0.12, and adjusted operating margin was negative 0.3%.
Elevated Insurance Costs
Increased insurance costs, including a $0.09 EPS impact from a nuclear verdict related to a 2019 incident, have been a significant headwind.
Weather and Tariff Challenges
Extreme weather and tariff-induced uncertainty led to inefficiencies and lower utilization, impacting EPS by approximately $0.04.
Decline in One-Way Truckload Revenue
One-Way Truckload revenue net of fuel was down 9%, with revenue per truck per week decreasing 3.2% due to lower miles per truck.
Company Guidance
During the Werner Enterprises First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call, several key metrics were discussed, highlighting the company's financial performance and strategic initiatives. The call reported a 7% decrease in revenues compared to the prior year, with an adjusted EPS of negative $0.12 and an adjusted operating margin of negative 0.3%. The performance was impacted by elevated insurance costs and claims, adverse weather conditions, increased IT spending, and operational inefficiencies, leading to a $0.25 year-over-year decrease in adjusted EPS. Despite these challenges, Werner secured several Dedicated fleet contracts and saw a third consecutive quarter of revenue per total mile increase in the One-Way Truckload segment. The company maintained its full-year fleet growth guidance of 1% to 5% and net CapEx guidance between $185 million and $235 million. Adjusted operating loss for the quarter was $1.8 million, with TTS revenue declining 9%. Logistics revenue was down 3% year-over-year, while the company achieved $8 million in cost savings during the quarter and increased its 2025 cost savings target from $25 million to $40 million. Operating cash flow was $29 million, and liquidity reached a new high with a $777 million availability, following the closing of a new $300 million credit facility.

Werner Enterprises Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Werner Enterprises demonstrates stability in its capital structure with a conservative leverage profile. However, challenges in profitability and cash flow management are evident, with declining profit margins and negative free cash flow impacting overall financial health. Strategic measures to improve efficiency and profitability are recommended.
Income Statement
62
Positive
Werner Enterprises shows moderate performance with consistent revenue generation, but recent periods indicate challenges in maintaining profit margins. The TTM shows a Gross Profit Margin of 11.04% and a Net Profit Margin of 0.60%, reflecting pressure on profitability. Revenue growth has been inconsistent, with a decline from 2023 to 2024. The EBIT and EBITDA margins have also been under strain, suggesting cost management issues.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The company maintains a stable balance sheet with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.45 in TTM, indicating a conservative approach to leverage. The Return on Equity is relatively low at 1.24% in TTM, reflecting limited efficiency in generating returns. However, the Equity Ratio of 48.10% suggests a solid capital structure with a significant equity base supporting its assets.
Cash Flow
55
Neutral
Cash flow management presents challenges, as indicated by negative Free Cash Flow in TTM, at -$114.42 million. The Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio of 13.53 in TTM shows robust cash generation relative to net income, yet Free Cash Flow growth and net income alignment are areas for improvement. The company must address capital expenditure levels to enhance cash flow stability.
Breakdown
TTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
2.97B3.03B3.28B3.29B2.73B2.37B
Gross Profit
262.54M338.63M423.65M521.59M477.93M460.89M
EBIT
44.73M66.15M176.42M44.50M42.42M-34.38M
EBITDA
343.73M372.10M480.82M616.54M517.92M479.45M
Net Income Common Stockholders
17.82M34.23M112.38M241.26M259.05M169.08M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
51.95M40.75M61.72M107.24M54.20M29.33M
Total Assets
2.99B3.05B3.16B3.10B2.59B2.16B
Total Debt
640.00M650.00M648.75M693.75M427.50M200.00M
Net Debt
588.05M609.25M587.03M586.51M373.30M170.67M
Total Liabilities
1.51B1.56B1.59B1.61B1.23B961.64M
Stockholders Equity
1.44B1.46B1.53B1.44B1.33B1.20B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
-108.56M-84.06M-124.42M-58.54M-38.03M32.84M
Operating Cash Flow
270.52M329.73M474.37M448.71M332.82M445.91M
Investing Cash Flow
-219.67M-241.45M-434.94M-514.33M-397.30M-263.27M
Financing Cash Flow
-55.48M-105.72M-87.07M118.03M89.67M-185.96M

Werner Enterprises Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price27.60
Price Trends
50DMA
27.16
Positive
100DMA
29.92
Negative
200DMA
33.65
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.11
Negative
RSI
54.18
Neutral
STOCH
69.77
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WERN, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 27.6 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 26.87, above the 50-day MA of 27.16, and below the 200-day MA of 33.65, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.11 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 54.18 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 69.77 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for WERN.

Werner Enterprises Risk Analysis

Werner Enterprises disclosed 16 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Werner Enterprises reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Werner Enterprises Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (66)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
$1.60B9.0014.25%0.69%-5.69%51.78%
66
Neutral
$4.51B12.225.40%3.63%4.14%-12.01%
KNKNX
64
Neutral
$7.14B45.972.13%1.64%1.16%36.33%
63
Neutral
$4.28B34.014.20%1.58%-0.30%-20.76%
58
Neutral
$1.72B96.911.21%2.02%-7.66%-78.26%
48
Neutral
$695.98M-3.44%0.90%-13.10%-121.50%
RXRXO
46
Neutral
$2.64B-27.75%32.38%-2221.75%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
WERN
Werner Enterprises
27.60
-7.86
-22.17%
HTLD
Heartland Express
8.70
-2.92
-25.13%
KNX
Knight Transportation
42.73
-3.61
-7.79%
ARCB
ArcBest
68.10
-37.62
-35.58%
SNDR
Schneider National
24.08
2.54
11.79%
RXO
RXO, Inc.
15.35
-4.76
-23.67%

Werner Enterprises Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Werner Enterprises Appoints New Board Member
Neutral
May 15, 2025

On May 13, 2025, Werner Enterprises appointed M. Gayle Packer to its Board of Directors to fill a Class III directorship vacancy. Packer, who is the President and CEO of Terracon Consultants Inc., brings extensive leadership experience and will serve on the Board’s Audit and ESG Committees. Additionally, at the company’s Annual Meeting on the same day, stockholders elected three Class I directors, approved an advisory resolution on executive compensation, and ratified KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2025.

The most recent analyst rating on (WERN) stock is a Buy with a $41.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Werner Enterprises stock, see the WERN Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and Strategy
Werner Enterprises to Attend BofA Investment Conference
Neutral
Apr 9, 2025

On April 9, 2025, Werner Enterprises announced its participation in two upcoming investment conferences: the BofA Industrials, Transportation & Airlines Key Leaders Conference on May 15, 2025, and the Wolfe Research Small & Mid-Cap Conference on June 5, 2025, both in New York. These events will feature investor meetings and presentations by key executives, with live webcasts available on the company’s website. This participation highlights Werner’s commitment to engaging with investors and showcasing its strategic initiatives and industry positioning.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.