Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Bear Of The Day: KnightSwift Transportation (KNX)

Read MoreHide Full Article

KnightSwift Transportation (KNX - Free Report) is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) as earnings estimates have tracked lower following an earnings miss in late April and just ahead of the next earnings report that is due out on July 24 after the market closes.  The company is one of the largest truckers in North American and also provides logistics services. This article will look at why this stock is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) as it is the Bear of the Day.

Description

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. is the largest truckload carrier in North America. The company based in Phoenix, AZ, also provides transportation solutions and aims to grow through mergers and acquisitions. It serves customers throughout North America, providing them with numerous efficient and low-cost truckload transportation, intermodal and logistics services.

Earnings History

When I look at a stock, the first thing I do is look to see if the company is beating the number.  This tells me right away where the market’s expectations have been for the company and how management has communicated to the market.  A stock that consistently beats has management communicating expectations to Wall Street that can be achieved.  That is what you want to see.

In the case of KnightSwift Transportation, I see three misses of the Zacks Consensus Estimate and one beat. The most recent quarter was a miss with the company posting $0.12 when the consensus was calling for $0.19.  This alone does not make the stock a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it doesn’t make it a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) either.

The Zacks Rank does care about the earnings history, but it is much more heavily influenced by the movement of earnings estimates.

Earnings Estimates

The Zacks Rank tells us which stocks are seeing earnings estimates move higher or in this case lower.  For KNX I see annual estimates moving lower of late.

The current fiscal year consensus number moved lower from $1.26 to $1.21 over the last 60 days. 

The next year has moved from $2.87 to $2.81 over the last 60 days.

Negative movement in earnings estimates like that is why this stock is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

It should be noted that a lot of stocks in the Zacks universe are seeing negative earnings estimate revisions.  That means that the stocks that are seeing small but negative earnings estimate revisions are falling to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX) - free report >>

Published in