Schneider Q4 Profit Rises 19% on Improved OR, Cowan Deal

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A 19% gain in fourth-quarter profits at Schneider was propelled by the boost its dedicated operations received from the carrier’s acquisition of Cowan Systems, as well as improvements in its operating ratios.

Schneider on Jan. 30 reported net income of $32.6 million in Q4, or 18 cents per diluted share, compared with $27.4 million, or 15 cents, in the year-ago period.

The carrier’s overall operating ratio improved to 96.8 from 97.7, with its intermodal division posting an operating ratio of 93.8, compared with 97.6 in the same period 12 months earlier.

Operating ratio provides insight on how well a company is balancing its costs and revenue generation. The lower the ratio, the better a company’s performance.

Schneider announced it was acquiring Cowan Systems in a $390 million deal at the end of November.

“Bringing Cowan Systems into our family of companies aligns with our long-term strategic vision to provide customer-centric dedicated solutions as the cornerstone of our truckload segment and broaden our presence to provide greater value to our customers,” …