C.H. Robinson Reports First Quarter Results

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. ("C.H. Robinson") CHRW, today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Summarized financial results are as follows (dollars in thousands, except per share data):

		Three months ended March 31,
								%
		2016			2015			change
Total revenues		$	3,073,943		$	3,300,890		-6.9	%
Net revenues:
Transportation
Truckload			321,684			298,380		7.8	%
LTL			91,293			85,370		6.9	%
Intermodal			9,264			10,512		-11.9	%
Ocean			58,669			50,190		16.9	%
Air			18,409			20,639		-10.8	%
Customs			10,724			10,263		4.5	%
Other logistics services			24,023			19,791		21.4	%
Total transportation			534,066			495,145		7.9	%
Sourcing			29,269			29,965		-2.3	%
Total net revenues			563,335			525,110		7.3	%
Operating expenses			364,383			343,185		6.2	%
Operating income			198,952			181,925		9.4	%
Net income		$	118,963		$	106,476		11.7	%
Diluted EPS		$	0.83		$	0.73		13.7	%

Our truckload net revenues increased 7.8 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. Our total truckload volumes increased approximately three percent in the first quarter of 2016. North American truckload volumes increased approximately four percent in the first quarter of 2016. Our truckload net revenue margin increased in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015, due primarily to lower transportation costs, excluding fuel. Additionally, the lower cost of fuel contributed to an increase in truckload net revenue margin. In North America, excluding the estimated impacts of the change in fuel, our average truckload rate per mile charged to our customers decreased approximately five percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. In North America, our truckload transportation costs decreased approximately seven percent, excluding the estimated impacts of the change in fuel. These decreases were largely the result of available capacity in the market and a change in the mix of our business.

Our less-than-truckload ("LTL") net revenues increased 6.9 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. LTL volumes increased approximately 10 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. Net revenue margin increased in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015.

Our intermodal net revenues decreased 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. During the first quarter of 2016, intermodal opportunities were negatively impacted by the lower cost truck market.

Our ocean transportation net revenues increased 16.9 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. The increase in net revenues was primarily due to increased net revenue margin and higher volumes.

Our air transportation net revenues decreased 10.8 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. The decrease was primarily due to lower prices, partially offset by margin expansion and volume increases.

Our customs net revenues increased 4.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. The increase was due to an increase in transaction volumes.

Our other logistics services revenues, which includes managed services, warehousing, and small parcel, increased 21.4 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015 primarily from volume growth in managed services.

Sourcing net revenues decreased 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. This decrease was primarily due to an increase in product costs caused by adverse weather effects, partially offset by an increase in case volumes.

For the first quarter, operating expenses increased 6.2 percent to $364.4 million in 2016 from $343.2 million in 2015. Operating expenses as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 64.7 percent in the first quarter of 2016 from 65.4 percent in the first quarter of 2015.

For the first quarter, personnel expenses increased 8.8 percent to $277.5 million in 2016 from $255.1 million in 2015. For the first quarter, our average headcount grew 5.5 percent compared to the first quarter of 2015. Additionally, we recognized additional payroll tax expense in the first quarter of 2016 related to the delivery of previously vested restricted equity awards.

For the first quarter, other selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased 1.3 percent to $86.9 million in 2016 from $88.0 million in 2015. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in the provision for doubtful accounts, partially offset by an increase in travel expenses.

Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., is one of the largest non-asset based third party logistics companies in the world. C.H. Robinson is a global provider of multimodal transportation services and logistics solutions, currently serving over 110,000 active customers through a network of offices in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. C.H. Robinson maintains one of the largest networks of motor carrier capacity in North America and works with approximately 68,000 transportation providers worldwide.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this release are forward-looking statements that represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience or our present expectations, including, but not limited to such factors as changes in economic conditions, including uncertain consumer demand; changes in market demand and pressures on the pricing for our services; competition and growth rates within the third party logistics industry; freight levels and increasing costs and availability of truck capacity or alternative means of transporting freight, and changes in relationships with existing truck, rail, ocean and air carriers; changes in our customer base due to possible consolidation among our customers; our ability to integrate the operations of acquired companies with our historic operations successfully; risks associated with litigation and insurance coverage; risks associated with operations outside of the U.S.; risks associated with the potential impacts of changes in government regulations; risks associated with the produce industry, including food safety and contamination issues; fuel prices and availability; the impact of war on the economy; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in our Annual and Quarterly Reports.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update such statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date. All remarks made during our financial results conference call will be current at the time of the call and we undertake no obligation to update the replay.

Conference Call Information:
C.H. Robinson Worldwide First Quarter 2016 Earnings Conference Call
Wednesday, April 27, 2016 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time
The call will be limited to 60 minutes, including questions and answers. We invite call participants to submit questions in advance of the conference call and we will respond to as many of the questions as we can in the time allowed. To submit your question(s) in advance of the call, please email tim.gagnon@chrobinson.com.

Presentation slides and a simultaneous live audio webcast of the conference call may be accessed through the Investor Relations link on C.H. Robinson's website at www.chrobinson.com.
To participate in the conference call by telephone, please call ten minutes early by dialing: 800-946-0716
International callers dial +1-719-325-2312
Callers should reference the conference ID, which is 4928630
Webcast replay available through Investor Relations link at www.chrobinson.com
Telephone audio replay available until 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time on May 4, 2016: 888-203-1112;
passcode: 4928630#
International callers dial +1-719-457-0820

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)
		Three months ended
		March 31,
		2016				2015
Revenues:
Transportation		$	2,713,688			$	2,947,257
Sourcing			360,255				353,633
Total revenues			3,073,943				3,300,890
Costs and expenses:
Purchased transportation and related services			2,179,622				2,452,112
Purchased products sourced for resale			330,986				323,668
Personnel expenses			277,497				255,144
Other selling, general, and administrative expenses			86,886				88,041
Total costs and expenses			2,874,991				3,118,965
Income from operations			198,952				181,925
Interest and other expense			(8,772	)			(9,605	)
Income before provision for income taxes			190,180				172,320
Provision for income taxes			71,217				65,844
Net income		$	118,963			$	106,476
Net income per share (basic)		$	0.83			$	0.73
Net income per share (diluted)		$	0.83			$	0.73
Weighted average shares outstanding (basic)			143,525				146,204
Weighted average shares outstanding (diluted)			143,658				146,383

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(unaudited, in thousands)
		March 31,			December 31,
		2016			2015
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$	179,406		$	168,229
Receivables, net			1,463,240			1,505,620
Other current assets			63,070			56,849
Total current assets			1,705,716			1,730,698
Property and equipment, net			195,920			190,874
Intangible and other assets			1,260,609			1,262,786
Total assets		$	3,162,245		$	3,184,358
Liabilities and stockholders' investment
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and outstanding checks		$	761,085		$	783,883
Accrued compensation			61,246			146,666
Accrued income taxes			32,589			12,573
Other accrued expenses			47,135			55,475
Current portion of debt			470,000			450,000
Total current liabilities			1,372,055			1,448,597
Noncurrent income taxes payable			18,523			19,634
Deferred tax liabilities			79,653			65,460
Long-term debt			500,000			500,000
Other long term liabilities			208			217
Total liabilities			1,970,439			2,033,908
Total stockholders' investment			1,191,806			1,150,450
Total liabilities and stockholders' investment		$	3,162,245		$	3,184,358

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited, in thousands, except operational data)
		Three months ended
		March 31,
		2016				2015
Operating activities:
Net income		$	118,963			$	106,476
Stock-based compensation			15,179				15,336
Depreciation and amortization			16,875				16,243
Provision for doubtful accounts			85				3,991
Deferred income taxes			15,350				426
Other			180				429
Changes in operating elements, net of acquisitions:
Receivables			42,295				(27,599	)
Prepaid expenses and other			(7,378	)			(12,639	)
Other non-current assets			-				1,435
Accounts payable and outstanding checks			(22,783	)			21,105
Accrued compensation and profit-sharing contribution			(84,431	)			(64,709	)
Accrued income taxes			18,905				48,390
Other accrued liabilities			(9,090	)			(8,489	)
Net cash provided by operating activities			104,150				100,395
Investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment			(13,121	)			(3,895	)
Purchases and development of software			(4,704	)			(2,771	)
Restricted cash			-				359,388
Acquisitions, net of cash			-				(369,143	)
Other			(770	)			462
Net cash used for investing activities			(18,595	)			(15,959	)
Financing activities:
Borrowings on line of credit			1,480,000				2,025,000
Repayments on line of credit			(1,460,000	)			(2,000,000	)
Net repurchases of common stock			(46,529	)			(40,340	)
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation			13,827				4,842
Cash dividends			(63,888	)			(57,335	)
Net cash used for financing activities			(76,590	)			(67,833	)
Effect of exchange rates on cash			2,212				(9,760	)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents			11,177				6,843
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			168,229				128,940
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		$	179,406			$	135,783
		As of March 31,
		2016				2015
Operational Data:
Employees			13,343				12,632

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