Forward Air Stock Price, News & Analysis

Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ:FWRD) announced significant Board changes following its 2025 Annual Meeting. Three directors - George Mayes, Javier Polit, and Laurie Tucker - have resigned from the Board. While Polit and Tucker received majority shareholder support, they stepped down to allow focus on operations and strategic review. The Board has been reduced to eight directors, with six being independent, all appointed since January 2024. Jerome Lorrain has been appointed Executive Chairman and Paul Svindland as Lead Independent Director. Shareholders approved several key proposals including the 2025 compensation plans, executive compensation advisory resolution, KPMG's appointment as auditor, and the company's reincorporation from Tennessee to Delaware.

Freightos (CRGO) and Forward Air Corporation announced an expanded partnership to enable digital bookings for LTL and linehaul trucking services through the 7LFreight by WebCargo platform. The integration incorporates Forward's extensive network of nearly 11,000 lane pairs and 100+ facilities, reaching 96% of U.S. ZIP codes. The collaboration enhances their existing rate distribution integration by adding digital booking capabilities for door-to-door, airport-to-door, and door-to-airport trucking services. The partnership will soon include airport cartage services, creating seamless connections between Freightos airline bookings and first/last-mile transport options. Initially available on 7LFreight, the service will expand across the broader Freightos platform, including WebCargo, offering digital payments and improved efficiency for international shipments.

Lakeview Investment Group, a significant shareholder of Forward Air Corp (NASDAQ: FWRD), has announced its decision to withhold support for three incumbent directors at the company's 2025 annual meeting. The targeted directors include Chairman George Mayes Jr., and directors Javier Polit and Laurie Tucker. Lakeview's position aligns with other investors and leading proxy advisory firms who have criticized these long-standing directors for approving value-destructive acquisitions. The investment group is pushing for an expedited strategic review process aimed at facilitating a sale of the company at a premium to maximize shareholder value.

Leading proxy advisory firm ISS has recommended Forward Air (FWRD) shareholders vote against the reelection of three board members at the 2025 Annual Meeting: Chairman George Mayes Jr., Director Javier Polit, and Director Laurie Tucker. ISS cites governance failures related to the value-destructive Omni acquisition and emphasizes the urgent need for a well-run strategic review process. Ancora Holdings Group, a significant FWRD shareholder, supports ISS's recommendation, arguing these directors' track record demonstrates poor decision-making that has led to substantial value destruction. The firm criticizes the board's handling of the strategic review process, including delays in allowing a potential acquirer to participate, and advocates for a value-maximizing sale to interested suitors.

Ancora Holdings Group, a significant shareholder of Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ: FWRD), has released a presentation urging shareholders to vote against three board directors at the 2025 Annual Meeting: Chairman George S. Mayes Jr., Javier Polit, and Laurie A. Tucker. The presentation criticizes these directors for overseeing significant value destruction and supporting the problematic Omni Logistics acquisition in 2023, which has led to substantial debt and operational challenges. Since the Omni deal, Forward Air has achieved only half of its projected EBITDA, increased net leverage to 5.5x, and reported negative EPS. Ancora believes Forward Air should pursue a sale, arguing it has limited opportunity as a standalone company due to high debt levels. The firm supports the company's Delaware reincorporation proposal as a necessary step for a comprehensive sale process, though criticizes the Board for maintaining certain restrictive shareholder provisions.

Irenic Capital Management has announced its intention to vote against certain legacy members of Forward Air Corporation's (NASDAQ: FWRD) Board of Directors at the 2025 Annual Meeting. The investment firm supports Ancora Holdings Group's position to withhold support for specific legacy directors. The primary concern stems from the Board's 2023 decision regarding the Omni Logistics LLC acquisition, where legacy directors allegedly bypassed shareholder voting requirements. Irenic argues that this action undermined shareholder rights and proper corporate governance principles.

Forward Air Corporation (FWRD) reported its Q1 2025 financial results, showing mixed performance. The company posted revenue of $613.3 million, up 13.2% year-over-year, and improved its operating income to $4.8 million compared to a $65.7 million loss in Q1 2024. However, the company still recorded a net loss of $61.2 million ($1.68 per share), though improved from an $88.8 million loss year-over-year. The Expedited Freight segment showed pricing improvements, with revenue per hundredweight excluding fuel surcharge up 4.3% sequentially and 2.5% year-over-year. The segment's EBITDA margin reached 10.4%, a 400-basis point improvement from Q4 2024. The company's liquidity position strengthened to $393 million, up from $382 million in Q4 2024, driven by improved operating cash flow of $27.6 million.

Ancora Holdings Group, a top 10 shareholder with 4.1% stake in Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ: FWRD), has issued a letter urging shareholders to vote AGAINST three legacy directors at the 2025 Annual Meeting: Chairman George S. Mayes, Jr., Director Javier Polit, and Director Laurie A. Tucker. The activist investor criticizes these directors for their role in the disastrous $1.85 billion debt-funded Omni Logistics acquisition in 2023 and their apparent resistance to conducting a timely strategic review.

Under these directors' tenure, Forward Air's stock has plummeted to $16.75, representing negative returns of over 70%. Ancora argues that the Board's slow progress in the strategic review process, announced in January 2025, and their controversial flip-flopping on the Tennessee Business Combination Act demonstrates entrenchment behavior. The investor believes a private market sale would be the best path forward for addressing the company's balance sheet issues and delivering shareholder value.

Forward Air (NASDAQ:FWRD) has released preliminary financial updates for Q1 2025. The company expects Consolidated EBITDA to range between $54 million and $59 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

The company's liquidity position is projected to strengthen, with an anticipated increase of $10 million to $392 million, compared to $382 million at the end of Q4 2024. This includes cash, cash equivalents, and credit facility availability.

Following the April 2, 2025 announcement of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Forward Air estimates that 10% to 15% of its 2024 revenue would have been affected by these tariffs, specifically from shipments directly transported under its control from impacted countries. The company notes uncertainty regarding potential tariff impacts on shipments handled before their direct control, particularly in their Intermodal segment.