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J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) Downgraded by Zacks Research to "Hold"
The trucking company cited record diesel costs and $25 million in extra third-quarter expenses as fuel inflation pressures margins, CFO Brad Delco said.
On Wednesday, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. warned that third-quarter earnings will fall between 5% and 10% as record diesel prices drive up operating costs across the trucking sector.
Supply disruptions from the U.S. war with Iran and Ukrainian attacks on Russian refining infrastructure have pushed diesel prices higher, restricting tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and straining global refinery output.
Diesel's national average reached a record $6.31 a gallon Wednesday according to AAA, while California prices crossed $8 and Midwest states may see costs reach $7 as fuel inflation accelerates.
Shares of J.B. Hunt shed more than 13% Wednesday, ranking among the company's most damaging trading days since its 1983 IPO, while the Dow Jones Transportation Average fell more than 2%.
Delco expects volumes to improve sequentially to offset incremental pressures, though J.B. Hunt faces at least a $10 million fuel headwind as the company works to repair margins amid ongoing price volatility.