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CVLG Gears Up to Report Q4 Earnings: What's in the Offing?

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Covenant Logistics Group, Inc. (CVLG - Free Report) is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2024 results on Jan. 23, after market close.

Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CVLG’s fourth-quarter 2024 earnings declined 3.9% to 49 cents per share over the past 60 days. However, the company has an impressive earnings surprise history, having outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the preceding four quarters, the average beat being 4%.

Against this backdrop, let’s take a look at the factors likely to have shaped the company’s December-quarter performance.

For the fourth quarter of 2024, the company expects a slower-than-anticipated market recovery, driven by persistent excess carrier capacity and a lack of immediate demand catalysts. While new business awards and small rate increases offer some relief, they are largely offset by weaker-than-expected volumes, particularly in the Expedited segment.

CVLG's reliance on long-term contracts and a slower operating model means that any operational improvements will take time, prolonging the benefits of increased leverage. In the December-end quarter, the company anticipates a challenging environment with limited prospects for a near-term turnaround.

Moreover, the operating expenses, including salaries, wages and related expenses, will continue to rise due to wage inflation, higher healthcare costs, and performance-based incentives. Driver pay may fluctuate with mileage and market pressures, with adjustments made as needed to remain competitive. Also, high fuel costs (oil price increased 5.2% in the October-December period) are likely to affect bottom-line results in the fourth quarter of 2024.

What Our Model Says About CVLG

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Covenant this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here.

CVLG has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks to Consider

Here are a few stocks from the broader Zacks Transportation sector that investors might want to consider, as our model shows that it has the right combination of elements to beat third-quarter 2024 earnings.

American Airlines (AAL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +7.27% and sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present. AAL is set to release fourth-quarter 2024 results on Jan. 23, 2025.You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

AAL has an encouraging earnings surprise history, having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the preceding four quarters and missing once. The average miss is 124.4%.

JetBlue Airways (JBLU - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +7.73% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. JBLU is slated to release fourth-quarter 2024 results on Jan. 28, 2025. 

JBLU has an encouraging earnings surprise history, having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the preceding four quarters. The average beat is 0.3%.


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