How are ArcBest’s Asset-Light revenues and shipments trending in Q2 2026?

ArcBest reports Asset-Light daily revenue up about 28% year-over-year quarter-to-date 2026, with shipments per day increasing roughly 15%. Revenue per shipment is up about 11%, reflecting higher fuel costs and tightening truckload capacity, particularly benefiting the company’s Managed business operations.

ArcBest (NASDAQ: ARCB) sees strong Q2 2026 freight growth and margin gains

Filing Impact

(High)

Filing Sentiment

(Neutral)

Form Type

8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

ArcBest Corporation is updating investors on second-quarter 2026 business trends, showing strong year-over-year growth in both its Asset-Based and Asset-Light segments. In Asset-Based operations, April and May billed revenue per day rose around 10%, with tonnage per day up about 5–6% despite fewer shipments.

Heavier freight is driving pricing metrics higher: May revenue per shipment increased 14% and revenue per hundredweight rose 5%, mainly from fuel surcharges. Management expects the Asset-Based non-GAAP operating ratio to improve sequentially by about 600–700 basis points, versus a typical 350-basis-point improvement.

In the Asset-Light segment, daily revenue grew about 28% year-over-year quarter-to-date, with shipments up about 15% and revenue per shipment up about 11%. For the second quarter, ArcBest projects Asset-Light non-GAAP operating income of roughly $3–$5 million, excluding about $2 million of purchase accounting amortization.

Positive

Stronger-than-usual margin outlook: Management expects Asset-Based non-GAAP operating ratio to improve sequentially by approximately 600–700 basis points in Q2, compared with a historical improvement of about 350 basis points.
Robust Asset-Light growth: Asset-Light daily revenue is up about 28% year-over-year quarter-to-date 2026, with shipments up about 15% and revenue per shipment up about 11%, supporting guided non-GAAP operating income of roughly $3–$5 million.

Negative

None.

Insights

ArcBest signals strong Q2 volume, pricing, and margin momentum.

ArcBest reports double-digit year-over-year revenue growth in both Asset-Based and Asset-Light segments. Asset-Based billed revenue per day is up about 10%, with tonnage up mid-single digits, driven by heavier shipments and modest truckload recovery rather than pure shipment growth.

Pricing quality appears solid: May revenue per shipment rose 14% and revenue per hundredweight increased 5%, largely from fuel surcharges, while ex-fuel yields were flat. Management now expects the non-GAAP Asset-Based operating ratio to improve by 600–700 basis points sequentially, far better than the historical 350-basis-point seasonal pattern.

Asset-Light trends are also robust, with quarter-to-date daily revenue up about 28% and revenue per shipment up about 11%. The company guides to segment non-GAAP operating income of $3–$5 million for Q2, excluding roughly $2 million of purchase accounting amortization. Overall, this update indicates stronger-than-usual seasonal improvement, though actual results will depend on freight demand, fuel, and execution.

8-K Event Classification

Item 7.01 — Regulation FD Disclosure

1 item

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure Disclosure

Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.

Key Figures

Asset-Based billed revenue per day YoY (QTD 2026): +10% Asset-Based tonnage per day YoY (QTD 2026): +5% Asset-Based revenue per shipment YoY (May 2026): +14% +5 more

8 metrics

Asset-Based billed revenue per day YoY (QTD 2026) +10% Year-over-year change in billed revenue per day, quarter-to-date 2026

Asset-Based tonnage per day YoY (QTD 2026) +5% Year-over-year change in tonnage per day, quarter-to-date 2026

Asset-Based revenue per shipment YoY (May 2026) +14% Year-over-year change in billed revenue per shipment for May 2026

Expected Asset-Based OR improvement 600–700 basis points Sequential non-GAAP operating ratio improvement expected Q1 to Q2 2026

Asset-Light revenue per day YoY (QTD 2026) +28% Year-over-year change in Asset-Light daily revenue, quarter-to-date 2026

Asset-Light shipments per day YoY (QTD 2026) +15% Year-over-year change in Asset-Light daily shipments, quarter-to-date 2026

Asset-Light non-GAAP operating income guidance $3–$5 million Projected Q2 2026 non-GAAP operating income, excluding purchase accounting amortization

Purchase accounting amortization Q2 2026 $2 million Estimated purchase accounting amortization for the second quarter 2026

Key Terms

non-GAAP operating ratio, Asset-Based Operating Segment, Asset-Light Operating Segment, Managed business, +2 more

6 terms

non-GAAP operating ratio financial

"Historically, ABF’s non-GAAP operating ratio improves by approximately 350 basis points..."

Asset-Based Operating Segment financial

"Summary Operating and Financial Impacts Asset-Based Operating Segment Year-over-Year Business Trends"

Asset-Light Operating Segment financial

"Asset-Light Operating Segment Revenue / Day (Year-over-Year)"

Managed business financial

"driven by 14% shipment growth, led by our Managed business."

purchase accounting amortization financial

"This estimate excludes impacts from purchase accounting amortization, which we anticipate will total approximately $2 million for the quarter."

forward-looking statements regulatory

"Certain statements and information in this report may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning..."

Forward-looking statements are predictions or plans that companies share about what they expect to happen in the future, like estimating sales or profits. They matter because they help investors understand a company's outlook, but since they are based on guesses and assumptions, they can sometimes be wrong.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Understanding 8-K Material Events →

Available on EDGAR 06/04/2026 - 05:13 PM Accepted by SEC EDGAR 06/04/2026 - 05:13 PM

FAQ

How is ArcBest (ARCB) performing in its Asset-Based segment for Q2 2026?

ArcBest’s Asset-Based segment shows solid growth, with billed revenue per day up about 10% year-over-year and tonnage per day up around 5–6%. Gains are driven by heavier freight, modest truckload-rated shipment improvement, and higher revenue per shipment and per hundredweight.

What operating ratio improvement does ArcBest (ARCB) expect in Q2 2026?

ArcBest expects its Asset-Based non-GAAP operating ratio to improve sequentially by approximately 600–700 basis points in the second quarter. Historically, this improvement averages about 350 basis points, so the company is signaling a much stronger-than-usual seasonal margin gain based on current trends.

What non-GAAP operating income does ArcBest (ARCB) project for its Asset-Light segment?

For the second quarter of 2026, ArcBest projects Asset-Light non-GAAP operating income of approximately $3 million to $5 million. This guidance excludes about $2 million of purchase accounting amortization and reflects yield discipline, cost management, and productivity improvements across the segment.

What is driving ArcBest’s increase in revenue per shipment in May 2026?

In May 2026, ArcBest’s revenue per shipment increased about 14% year-over-year in the Asset-Based segment. This was driven by a heavier freight profile, with weight per shipment up 9%, and a roughly 5% rise in revenue per hundredweight, largely from higher fuel surcharge revenue.

What key risks could affect ArcBest’s forward-looking outlook?

ArcBest notes risks including cybersecurity incidents, technology implementation, customer concentration, integration of acquisitions, labor relations and union negotiations, fuel price volatility, regulatory changes, economic conditions, and disruptions from natural disasters or geopolitical events, any of which could materially impact future results compared with current expectations.

June 30

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 4, 2026 (June 4, 2026)

ARCBEST CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Texas	0-19969	71-0673405
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
8401 McClure Drive Fort Smith, Arkansas (Address of principal executive offices)		72916 (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (479) 785-6000

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions.

☐	Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:


Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock $0.01 Par Value	ARCB	Nasdaq

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐

ITEM 7.01 – REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

ArcBest^® (Nasdaq: ARCB) is providing an update on the most recent information related to its second quarter 2026 financial results and business trends.

Summary Operating and Financial Impacts

●

Statistics for May 2026 are preliminary but are not expected to differ materially from actual results.

●

There were 21.5 workdays in April 2026, and there were 21.5 workdays in April 2025.

●

There were 20.0 workdays in May 2026 and 21.0 workdays in May 2025.

●

The second quarter to date reflects the period from April 1 through May 31, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025.

Asset-Based Operating Segment

Year-over-Year Business Trends


	April 2026		May 2026		QTD 2026

Billed Revenue⁽¹⁾ / Day	+10.9	%	+9	%	+10	%
Tonnage / Day	+6.1	%	+5	%	+5	%
Shipments / Day	-0.6	%	-4	%	-2	%
Billed Revenue⁽¹⁾ / Shipment	+11.6	%	+14	%	+13	%
Billed Revenue⁽¹⁾ / CWT	+4.6	%	+5	%	+5	%
Weight / Shipment	+6.7	%	+9	%	+8	%

1)	Revenue for undelivered freight is deferred for financial statement purposes in accordance with the Asset-Based segment revenue recognition policy. Billed revenue has not been adjusted for the portion of revenue deferred for financial statement purposes.

In May, Asset-Based shipments per day were down 4% year-over-year, while weight per shipment was up 9%, resulting in daily tonnage growth of 5%. We are seeing modest improvement in truckload-rated shipments, which, along with other changes in freight profile, is contributing to the higher weight per shipment.

Revenue per shipment in May increased 14% year-over-year, driven by the heavier freight profile and a 5% increase in revenue per hundredweight, largely reflecting higher fuel surcharge revenue. Excluding fuel surcharge, revenue per hundredweight was flat.

Sequentially, from April to May, weight per shipment increased 5%, shipments per day were down 1%, and tonnage per day increased 4%. Revenue per shipment improved by about 5%, due primarily to the heavier weight per shipment. Revenue per hundredweight, both including and excluding fuel surcharge revenue, were flat.

Historically, ABF’s non-GAAP operating ratio improves by approximately 350 basis points from the first quarter to the second quarter. Based on current trends, we expect second-quarter performance to improve sequentially by approximately 600 to 700 basis points. This outlook reflects disciplined execution on pricing initiatives, the impact of recent fuel price movements, and continued progress on cost optimization, network efficiency, and technology driven productivity initiatives.

Asset-Light Operating Segment


	April 2026		May 2026		QTD 2026

Revenue / Day (Year-over-Year)	+24.4	%	+32	%	+28	%
Shipments / Day (Year-over-Year)	+15.8	%	+14	%	+15	%
Revenue / Shipment (Year-over-Year)	+7.4	%	+15	%	+11	%
Purchased Transportation Expense as a % of Revenue	86.2	%	87	%	86	%

In May, Asset-Light daily revenue was up approximately 32% year-over-year, driven by 14% shipment growth, led by our Managed business. Revenue per shipment increased 15%, reflecting higher fuel costs and tightening capacity in the truckload market.

Sequentially, from April to May, daily revenue was up 7%, daily shipments were down 2%, and revenue per shipment was up 9%.

For the second quarter, we expect non-GAAP operating income to be in the range of approximately $3 million to $5 million. This outlook reflects continued yield discipline, active cost management, and improved productivity performance, which together provide a solid foundation for long-term, profitable growth. This estimate excludes impacts from purchase accounting amortization, which we anticipate will total approximately $2 million for the quarter.

The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements and information in this report may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, statements regarding (i) our expectations about our intrinsic value or our prospects for growth and value creation and (ii) our financial outlook, position, strategies, goals, and expectations. Terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “designed,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “foresee,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “scheduled,” “seek,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions and the negatives of such terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions, and expectations based on currently available information, are not guarantees of future performance, and involve certain risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control). Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, we cannot provide assurance that our expectations will prove to be correct and caution the reader not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in these statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to: data breaches, cybersecurity incidents, and/or interruptions or failures of our information systems that we depend on, including software programs and applications provided by third parties; untimely or ineffective development and implementation of, or failure to realize the potential benefits associated with, new or enhanced technology or processes; the loss or reduction of business from multiple large customers or an overall reduction in our customer base; the timing and performance of growth initiatives and the ability to manage our cost structure; the cost, integration, and performance of future acquisitions and the inability to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition; unsolicited takeover proposals, proxy contests, and other proposals or actions by activist investors; maintaining our corporate reputation and intellectual property rights; failure to achieve market acceptance or generate adequate returns through our Vaux^TM technologies; establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting; disruptions in domestic or global manufacturing activity, supply chains, and related changes in spending, resulting in material reductions in freight volumes; competitive initiatives and pricing pressures; increased prices for and decreased availability of equipment, including new revenue equipment, and higher costs of equipment-related operating expenses such as maintenance, fuel, and related taxes; availability of fuel, the effect of volatility in fuel prices and the associated changes in fuel surcharges on securing increases in base freight rates, and the inability to collect fuel surcharges; relationships with employees, including unions, and our ability to attract, retain, and upskill employees; unfavorable terms of, or the inability to reach agreement on, future collective bargaining agreements or a workforce stoppage by our employees covered under ABF Freight’s collective bargaining agreement; union employee wages and benefits, including changes in required contributions to multiemployer plans; availability and cost of reliable third-party services; our ability to secure independent owner-operators and/or operational or regulatory issues related to our use of their services; litigation or claims asserted against us; the effects, costs and potential liabilities related to changes in and compliance with, or violation of, existing or future governmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, environmental laws and regulations, such as emissions-control regulations and fuel efficiency regulations; default on covenants of financing arrangements and the availability and terms of future financing arrangements; our ability to generate sufficient cash from operations to support significant ongoing capital expenditure requirements and other business initiatives; self-insurance claims, insurance premium costs, and loss of our ability to self-insure; potential impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill and intangible assets; external events which may adversely affect us or the third parties who provide services for us, for which our business continuity plans may not adequately prepare us, including, but not limited to, the occurrence of natural disasters, public health crises, geopolitical conflicts, acts of terrorism or war, cybersecurity incidents, or trade restrictions; general economic conditions and related shifts in market demand that impact the performance and needs of industries we serve and/or limit our customers’ access to adequate financial resources; seasonal fluctuations, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, and climate change; and other financial, operational, and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in ArcBest Corporation’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Se

		ARCBEST CORPORATION

		(Registrant)

Date:	June 4, 2026	/s/ J. Brent Hagy
		J. Brent Hagy
		Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Source: View Original Filing on SEC EDGAR

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

3 documents