Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Forward-Looking Statements
The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements contained in this document that are not based on historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and other sections of this Form 10-K contain forward-looking statements, such as statements which relate to Landstar’s business objectives, plans, strategies and expectations. Terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intention,” “expects,” “plans,” “predicts,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “will,” the negative thereof and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are by nature subject to uncertainties and risks, including but not limited to: decreased demand for transportation services; U.S. trade relationships and potential or imposed tariffs; an increase in the frequency or severity of accidents or other claims; unfavorable development of existing accident claims; dependence on third party insurance companies; dependence on independent commission sales agents; dependence on third party capacity providers; the impact of the Russian conflict with Ukraine on the operations of certain independent commission sales agents, including the Company’s second largest such agent by revenue in the 2025 fiscal year; substantial industry competition; disruptions or failures in the Company’s computer systems; cyber and other information security incidents; dependence on key vendors; potential changes in taxes; status of independent contractors; regulatory and legislative changes; regulations focused on diesel emissions and other air quality matters; regulations requiring the purchase and use of zero-emission vehicles; intellectual property; acquisitions and investments; and other operational, financial or legal risks or uncertainties detailed in this and Landstar’s other SEC filings from time to time and described in Item 1A in this Form 10-K under the heading “Risk Factors.” These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results or events to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Investors should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Introduction
Landstar System, Inc. and its subsidiary, Landstar System Holdings, Inc. (collectively referred to herein with their subsidiaries and other affiliated companies as “Landstar” or the “Company”), is a technology-enabled, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions delivering safe, specialized transportation services to a broad range of customers utilizing a network of agents, third party capacity providers and employees. The Company offers services to its customers across multiple transportation modes, with the ability to arrange for individual shipments of freight to comprehensive third party logistics solutions to meet all of a customer’s transportation needs. Landstar provides services principally throughout the United States and to a lesser extent in Canada and Mexico, and between the United States and Canada, Mexico and other countries around the world. The Company’s services emphasize safety, cargo security, information coordination and customer service and are delivered through a network of approximately 960 independent commission sales agents and over 70,000 third party capacity providers, primarily truck capacity providers, linked together by a series of digital technologies which are provided and coordinated by the Company. The nature of the Company’s business is such that a significant portion of its operating costs varies directly with revenue.
Landstar markets its integrated transportation management solutions primarily through independent commission sales agents and exclusively utilizes third party capacity providers to transport customers’ freight. Landstar’s independent commission sales agents enter into contractual arrangements with the Company and are responsible for locating freight, making that freight available to Landstar’s capacity providers and coordinating the transportation of the freight with customers and capacity providers. The Company’s third party capacity providers consist of independent contractors who provide truck capacity to the Company under exclusive lease arrangements (the “BCO Independent Contractors”), unrelated trucking companies who provide truck capacity to the Company under non-exclusive contractual arrangements (the “Truck Brokerage Carriers”), air cargo carriers, ocean cargo carriers and railroads. Through this network of agents and capacity providers linked together by Landstar’s ecosystem of digital technologies, Landstar operates an integrated transportation management solutions business primarily throughout North America with revenue of $4.7 billion during the most recently completed fiscal year. The Company reports the results of two operating segments: the transportation logistics segment and the insurance segment.
The transportation logistics segment provides a wide range of integrated transportation management solutions. Transportation services are provided by Landstar’s “Operating Subsidiaries”: Landstar Ranger, Inc., Landstar Inway, Inc., Landstar Ligon, Inc., Landstar Gemini, Inc., Landstar Transportation Logistics, Inc., Landstar Global Logistics, Inc., Landstar Express America, Inc., Landstar Canada, Inc., Landstar Metro, S.A.P.I. de C.V., and Landstar Blue, LLC. Transportation services offered by the Company include truckload, less-than-truckload and other truck transportation, rail intermodal, air cargo, ocean cargo, expedited ground and air
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delivery of time-critical freight, heavy-haul/specialized, hazardous materials (“haz-mat”), cold chain/temperature-controlled, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico cross-border, intra-Mexico, intra-Canada, project cargo and customs brokerage. Examples of the industries serviced by the transportation logistics segment include automotive parts and assemblies, consumer durables, building products, metals, chemicals, foodstuffs, heavy machinery, retail, electronics, military equipment and general commodities. In addition, the transportation logistics segment provides transportation services to other transportation companies, including third party logistics and less-than-truckload service providers. The independent commission sales agents market services provided by the transportation logistics segment. Billings for freight transportation services are typically charged to customers on a per shipment basis for the physical transportation of freight and are referred to as transportation revenue. During fiscal year 2025, revenue generated by BCO Independent Contractors, Truck Brokerage Carriers and railroads represented approximately 38%, 53% and 2%, respectively, of the Company’s consolidated revenue. Collectively, revenue generated by air and ocean cargo carriers represented approximately 5% of the Company’s consolidated revenue during fiscal year 2025.
The insurance segment is comprised of Signature Insurance Company (“Signature”), a wholly owned offshore insurance subsidiary, and Risk Management Claim Services, Inc. The insurance segment provides risk and claims management services to certain of Landstar’s Operating Subsidiaries. In addition, it reinsures certain risks of the Company’s BCO Independent Contractors and provides certain property and casualty insurance and reinsurance to certain of Landstar’s Operating Subsidiaries. Revenue at the insurance segment represents reinsurance premiums from third party insurance companies that provide insurance programs to BCO Independent Contractors where all or a portion of the risk is ultimately borne by Signature. Revenue at the insurance segment represented approximately 1% of the Company’s consolidated revenue for fiscal year 2025.
Changes in Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Management believes the Company’s success principally depends on its ability to generate freight through its network of independent commission sales agents and to deliver freight safely, securely and efficiently utilizing BCO Independent Contractors and other third party capacity providers. Management believes the most significant factors to the Company’s success include increasing revenue, sourcing capacity, empowering its network through technology-based tools and controlling costs, including insurance and claims.
Revenue
While customer demand, which is subject to overall economic conditions, ultimately drives increases or decreases in revenue, the Company primarily relies on its independent commission sales agents to establish customer relationships and generate revenue opportunities. Management’s emphasis with respect to revenue growth is on revenue generated by independent commission sales agents who on an annual basis generate $1 million or more of Landstar revenue. Management believes future revenue growth is primarily dependent on its ability to increase both the revenue generated by Million Dollar Agents and the number of Million Dollar Agents through a combination of recruiting new agents, increasing the revenue opportunities generated by existing independent commission sales agents and providing its independent commission sales agents with digital technologies they may use to grow revenue and increase efficiencies at their businesses. The following table shows the number of Million Dollar Agents, the average revenue generated by these agents and the percent of consolidated revenue generated by these agents during the past three fiscal years:
Fiscal Years
Number of Million Dollar Agents
Average revenue generated per Million Dollar Agent
Percent of consolidated revenue generated by Million Dollar Agents
In fiscal year 2025, the change in the number of Million Dollar Agents was primarily attributable to agents who remained with the Company yet experienced lower year-over-year revenue that resulted in such agents moving below the Million Dollar Agent category due to the soft freight demand environment. Included among the Company’s Million Dollar Agents in the 2025 fiscal year, the Company had 77 independent sales agencies that generated at least $10 million in Landstar revenue. In fiscal year 2024, the change in the number of Million Dollar Agents was primarily attributable to agents who remained with the Company yet experienced lower year-over-year revenue that resulted in such agents moving below the Million Dollar Agent category due to the soft freight demand environment. Included among the Company’s Million Dollar Agents in the 2024 fiscal year, the Company had 81 independent sales agencies that generated at least $10 million in Landstar revenue.
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The change in the number of Million Dollar Agents on a year-over-year basis is influenced by many factors and is not solely the result of terminations of contractual relationships between agents and the Company, whether such terminations are initiated by the agent or the Company. Such other factors include consolidations among agencies or transactions in connection with ownership changes often due to retirement planning, estate planning or similar transitional matters. The change in the number of Million Dollar Agents on a year-over-year basis may also be affected by agents that remain with the Company yet experienced lower year-over-year revenue that resulted in such agent moving below the Million Dollar Agent category. Historically, the Company has experienced very few terminations of its Million Dollar Agents, whether such terminations are initiated by the agent or the Company. Annual terminations of Million Dollar Agents have typically been less than 3% of the total number of Million Dollar Agents. Revenue from accounts formerly handled by terminated Million Dollar Agents is often retained by the Company as the customer may choose to transfer its account to an existing Landstar agent.
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Management monitors business activity by tracking the number of loads (volume) and revenue per load by mode of transportation. Revenue per load can be influenced by many factors other than a change in price. Those factors include the average length of haul, freight type, special handling and equipment requirements, fuel costs and delivery time requirements. For shipments involving two or more modes of transportation, revenue is generally classified by the mode of transportation having the highest cost for the load. The following table summarizes this information by trailer type for truck transportation and by mode for all others for the past three fiscal years:
Fiscal Years
Revenue generated through (in thousands):
Truck transportation
Truckload:
Van equipment
Unsided/platform equipment
Less-than-truckload
Other truck transportation (1)
Total truck transportation
Rail intermodal
Ocean and air cargo carriers
Other (2)
Revenue on loads hauled via BCO Independent Contractors included in total truck transportation
Number of loads:
Truck transportation
Truckload:
Van equipment
Unsided/platform equipment
Less-than-truckload
Other truck transportation (1)
Total truck transportation
Rail intermodal
Ocean and air cargo carriers
Loads hauled via BCO Independent Contractors included in total truck transportation
Revenue per load:
Truck transportation
Truckload:
Van equipment
Unsided/platform equipment
Less-than-truckload
Other truck transportation (1)
Total truck transportation
Rail intermodal
Ocean and air cargo carriers
Revenue per load on loads hauled via BCO Independent Contractors
Revenue by capacity type (as a % of total revenue):
Truck capacity providers:
BCO Independent Contractors
Truck Brokerage Carriers
Rail intermodal
Ocean and air cargo carriers
Other
Includes power-only, expedited, straight truck, cargo van, and miscellaneous other truck transportation revenue generated by the transportation logistics segment. Power-only refers to shipments where the Company furnishes a power unit and an operator but not trailing equipment, which is typically provided by the shipper or consignee.
Includes primarily reinsurance premium revenue generated by the insurance segment and intra-Mexico transportation services revenue generated by Landstar Metro.
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Expenses
Purchased transportation
Also critical to the Company’s success is its ability to secure capacity, particularly truck capacity, at rates that allow the Company to profitably transport customers’ freight. The following table summarizes the number of available truck capacity providers as of the end of the three most recent fiscal years:
Dec. 27,
Dec. 28,
Dec. 30,
BCO Independent Contractors
Truck Brokerage Carriers:
Approved and active (1)
Other approved
Total available truck capacity providers
Trucks provided by BCO Independent Contractors
Active refers to Truck Brokerage Carriers who moved at least one load in the 180 days immediately preceding the fiscal year end.
Purchased transportation represents the amount a BCO Independent Contractor or other third party capacity provider is paid to haul freight. The amount of purchased transportation paid to a BCO Independent Contractor is primarily based on a contractually agreed-upon percentage of revenue generated by loads hauled by the BCO Independent Contractor. Purchased transportation paid to a Truck Brokerage Carrier is based on either a negotiated rate for each load hauled or, to a lesser extent, a contractually agreed-upon fixed rate per load. Purchased transportation paid to railroads and ocean cargo carriers is based on either a negotiated rate for each load hauled or a contractually agreed-upon fixed rate per load. Purchased transportation paid to air cargo carriers is generally based on a negotiated rate for each load hauled. Purchased transportation as a percentage of revenue for truck brokerage, rail intermodal and ocean cargo services is normally higher than that of BCO Independent Contractor and air cargo services. Purchased transportation is the largest component of costs and expenses and, on a consolidated basis, increases or decreases as a percentage of consolidated revenue in proportion to changes in the percentage of consolidated revenue generated through BCO Independent Contractors and other third party capacity providers and external revenue from the insurance segment, consisting of reinsurance premiums. Purchased transportation as a percent of revenue also increases or decreases in relation to the availability of truck brokerage capacity and with changes in the price of fuel on revenue generated from shipments hauled by Truck Brokerage Carriers. The Company passes 100% of fuel surcharges billed to customers for freight hauled by BCO Independent Contractors to its BCO Independent Contractors. These fuel surcharges are excluded from revenue and the cost of purchased transportation. Purchased transportation costs are recognized over the freight transit period as the performance obligation to the customer is completed.
Commissions to agents
Commissions to agents are based on contractually agreed-upon percentages of (i) revenue, (ii) revenue less the cost of purchased transportation, or (iii) revenue less a contractually agreed upon percentage of revenue retained by Landstar and the cost of purchased transportation (the “retention contracts”). Commissions to agents as a percentage of consolidated revenue vary directly with fluctuations in the percentage of consolidated revenue generated by the various modes of transportation and reinsurance premiums and, in general, vary inversely with changes in the amount of purchased transportation as a percentage of revenue on services provided by Truck Brokerage Carriers, railroads, air cargo carriers and ocean cargo carriers. Commissions to agents are recognized over the freight transit period as the performance obligation to the customer is completed.
Other operating costs, net of gains on asset sales/dispositions
Maintenance costs for Company-provided trailing equipment, the provision for uncollectible advances and other receivables due from BCO Independent Contractors and independent commission sales agents and recruiting and qualification costs for BCO Independent Contractors are the largest components of other operating costs. Also included in other operating costs are trailer rental costs and gains/losses, if any, on sales of Company-owned trailing equipment.
As further described in Note 18 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, during the last week of the Company’s 2025 first fiscal quarter, the Company identified a supply chain fraud relating to the Company’s international freight forwarding operations (the “Supply Chain Fraud Matter”). Other operating costs during the fiscal year ended December 27, 2025 included a $4.8 million expense relating to this matter. In addition, legal and other professional fees included in selling, general and administrative costs were slightly elevated during the Company’s 2025 fiscal year in connection with this matter.
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Insurance and claims
With respect to insurance and claims cost, potential liability associated with accidents in the trucking industry is severe and occurrences are unpredictable.
Landstar retains liability through a self-insured retention for commercial trucking claims up to $5 million per occurrence. The Company also maintains third party insurance arrangements providing coverage for commercial trucking liabilities in excess of $5 million. Historically, these third party insurance arrangements were based on policy year periods beginning on May 1 and ending on the subsequent April 30. Beginning with the policy year period commencing May 1, 2025, the Company and its third party insurance providers adjusted the applicable policy year period, beginning in 2026, to commence on June 1 and end on the subsequent May 31. All applicable third party insurance arrangements with a policy period ending April 30, 2026, have been amended to provide for a policy period ending May 31, 2026, as reflected below.
Effective May 1, 2023, the Company entered into a three year commercial auto liability insurance arrangement for losses incurred between $5 million and $10 million (the “2023 Initial Excess Policy”) with a third party insurance company. For commercial trucking claims incurred on or after May 1, 2023 through May 31, 2026, the 2023 Initial Excess Policy provides for an aggregate deductible of $18 million over the thirty-seven-month term ending May 31, 2026. After payment of the deductible, the 2023 Initial Excess Policy provides for a limit for a single loss of $5 million, with an aggregate limit of $15 million for the thirty-seven-month term ending May 31, 2026.
The Company also maintains third party insurance arrangements providing excess coverage for commercial trucking liabilities in excess of $10 million. These third party arrangements provide coverage on a per occurrence or aggregated basis. Over the past fifteen years, there has been a significant increase in the occurrence of trials in courts throughout the United States involving catastrophic injury and fatality claims against commercial motor carriers that have resulted in verdicts in excess of $10 million. Within the transportation logistics industry, these verdicts are often referred to as “Nuclear Verdicts.” The increase in Nuclear Verdicts has had a significant impact on the cost of commercial auto liability claims throughout the United States. Due to the increasing cost of commercial auto liability claims, the availability of excess coverage has significantly decreased, and the pricing associated with such excess coverage, to the extent available, has significantly increased. Since the annual policy year ended April 30, 2020, as compared to the annual policy year ending May 31, 2026, the Company experienced an increase of approximately $22 million, or approximately 400%, in the premiums charged by third party insurance companies to the Company for excess coverage for commercial trucking liabilities in excess of $10 million.
Moreover, the Company from year to year manages the level of its financial exposure to commercial trucking claims in excess of $10 million, including through the use of additional self-insurance, deductibles, aggregate loss limits, quota shares and other structured arrangements with third party insurance companies, based on the availability of coverage within certain excess insurance coverage layers and estimated cost differentials between proposed premiums from third party insurance companies and historical and actuarially projected losses experienced by the Company at various levels of excess insurance coverage. For example, with respect to a single hypothetical claim in the amount of $65 million incurred during the annual policy year ending May 31, 2026, the Company would have an aggregate financial exposure of approximately $36 million.
Within the Company’s third party insurance arrangements providing excess coverage for commercial trucking liabilities, structured arrangements with third party reinsurers within a specific loss layer may include provisions that require additional payments of premium in the event of unfavorable loss experience or a refund of premium in the event of favorable loss experience. During the 2025 fiscal year, with respect to one such three-year commercial auto liability reinsurance arrangement relating to certain excess claims incurred between May 1, 2020 through April 30, 2023, the Company received $12,000,000 of cash payments from third party reinsurance providers in the form of a “no claims bonus” due to favorable loss experience with respect to claims incurred during the applicable policy period. As further described in Note 11 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in connection with the Judgment (as defined below) in the Cabral Matter, the Company has recorded the “no bonus” within current insurance in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 27, 2025. The Company intends to vigorously appeal the Cabral Matter, including the Judgment; however, no assurances can be provided regarding whether the Company will ultimately be to recognize a with respect to the “no bonus.” For more information about the Cabral Matter, see Item 7, “ Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Legal Proceedings .”
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Furthermore, the Company’s third party insurance arrangements provide excess coverage up to an uppermost coverage layer, in excess of which the Company retains additional financial exposure. No assurances can be given that the availability of excess coverage for commercial trucking claims will not continue to deteriorate, that the pricing associated with such excess coverage, to the extent available, will not continue to increase, nor that insurance coverage from third party insurers for excess coverage of commercial trucking claims will even be available on commercially reasonable terms at certain levels. Moreover, the occurrence of a Nuclear Verdict, or the settlement of a catastrophic injury and/or fatality claim that could have otherwise resulted in a Nuclear Verdict, could have a material adverse effect on Landstar’s cost of insurance and claims and its results of operations.
Further, the Company retains liability of up to $2,000,000 for each general liability claim, $250,000 for each workers’ compensation claim and $250,000 for each cargo claim. In addition, under reinsurance arrangements by Signature of certain risks of the Company’s BCO Independent Contractors, the Company retains liability of up to $500,000, $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 with respect to certain occupational accident claims and up to $750,000 with respect to certain workers’ compensation claims. The Company’s exposure to liability associated with accidents incurred by Truck Brokerage Carriers, railroads and air and ocean cargo carriers who transport freight on behalf of the Company is reduced by various legal defenses and other factors including the extent to which such carriers maintain their own insurance coverage. A material increase in the frequency or severity of accidents, cargo claims or workers’ compensation claims or the material unfavorable development of existing claims could have a material adverse effect on Landstar’s cost of insurance and and its results of operations.
Selling, general and administrative
During the 2025 fiscal year, employee compensation and benefits accounted for approximately 62% of the Company’s selling, general and administrative costs. Employee compensation and benefits include wages and employee benefit costs as well as incentive compensation and stock-based compensation expense. Incentive compensation and stock-based compensation expense is highly variable in nature in comparison to wages and employee benefit costs.
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization primarily relate to depreciation of trailing equipment and information technology hardware and software.
Impairment of intangible and other assets
During the 2025 fiscal year, the Company recorded certain non-cash, non-recurring impairment charges of $32,170,000 in the aggregate (the “Non-Cash Impairment Charges”). The Non-Cash Impairment Charges, net of tax benefit, unfavorably impacted EPS by $0.71 per basic and diluted share. The Non-Cash Impairment Charges consisted of:
$18,208,000, or $0.40 per basic and diluted share, in impairment charges to goodwill and certain other assets related to the Company’s decision to actively market for sale Landstar Metro, S.A.P.I. de C.V., the Company’s wholly-owned Mexican operating subsidiary, principally engaged in intra-Mexico truck transportation services. For additional information, see Note 14 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
$8,963,000, or $0.20 per basic and diluted share, in impairment charges related to the decision to select one of the Company’s transportation management systems as its primary such system for truckload brokerage services and, in connection with that decision, wind-down an alternative transportation management system currently in use by Landstar Blue, LLC, one of the Company’s operating subsidiaries. For additional information, see Note 15 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
$4,999,000 or $0.11 per basic and diluted share, relating to the carrying value of a non-controlling equity investment made by the Company in 2022 in Cavnue, LLC, a privately held technology start-up company. For additional information, see Note 16 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Costs of revenue
The Company incurs costs of revenue related to the transportation of freight and, to a much lesser extent, to reinsurance premiums received by Signature. Costs of revenue include variable costs of revenue and other costs of revenue. Variable costs of revenue include purchased transportation and commissions to agents, as these costs are entirely variable on a shipment-by-shipment basis. Other costs
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of revenue include fixed costs of revenue and semi-variable costs of revenue, where such costs may vary over time based on certain economic factors or operational metrics such as the number of Company-controlled trailers, the number of BCO Independent Contractors, the frequency and severity of insurance claims, the number of miles traveled by BCO Independent Contractors, or the number and/or scale of information technology projects in process or in-service to support revenue generating activities, rather than on a shipment-by-shipment basis. Other costs of revenue associated with the transportation of freight include: (i) other operating costs, primarily consisting of trailer maintenance, the provision for uncollectible advances and other receivables due from BCO Independent Contractors and independent commission sales agents and BCO Independent Contractor recruiting and qualification costs, as reported in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income, (ii) transportation-related insurance premiums paid and claim costs incurred, included as a portion of insurance and claims in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income, (iii) costs incurred related to internally developed software including ASC 350-40 amortization, implementation costs, hosting costs and other support costs utilized to support the Company’s independent commission sales agents, third party capacity providers, and customers, included as a portion of depreciation and amortization and of selling, general and administrative in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income; and (iv) depreciation on Company-owned trailing equipment, included as a portion of depreciation and amortization in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. Other costs of revenue associated with reinsurance premiums received by Signature are comprised of broker commissions and other fees paid related to the administration of insurance programs to BCO Independent Contractors and are included in selling, general and administrative in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. In addition to costs of revenue, the Company incurs various other costs relating to its business, including most selling, general and administrative costs and portions of costs attributable to insurance and and depreciation and amortization. Management continually monitors all components of the costs incurred by the Company and establishes annual cost budgets that, in general, are used to benchmark costs incurred on a monthly basis.
Gross Profit, Variable Contribution, Gross Profit Margin and Variable Contribution Margin
The following table sets forth calculations of gross profit, defined as revenue less costs of revenue, and gross profit margin, defined as gross profit divided by revenue, for the periods indicated. The Company refers to revenue less variable costs of revenue as “variable contribution” and variable contribution divided by revenue as “variable contribution margin.” Variable contribution and variable contribution margin are each non-GAAP financial measures. The closest comparable GAAP financial measures to variable contribution and variable contribution margin are, respectively, gross profit and gross profit margin. The Company believes variable contribution and variable contribution margin are useful measures of the variable costs that we incur at a shipment-by-shipment level attributable to our transportation network of third party capacity providers and independent commission sales agents in order to provide services to our customers. The Company believes variable contribution and variable contribution margin are important performance measurements and management considers variable contribution and variable contribution margin in evaluating the Company’s financial performance and in its decision-making, such as budgeting for infrastructure, trailing equipment and selling, general and administrative costs.
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The reconciliations of gross profit to variable contribution and gross profit margin to variable contribution margin are each presented below:
Fiscal Year
Revenue
Costs of revenue:
Purchased transportation
Commissions to agents
Variable costs of revenue
Trailing equipment depreciation
Information technology costs
Insurance-related costs (1)
Other operating costs
Other costs of revenue
Total costs of revenue
Gross profit
Gross profit margin
Plus: other costs of revenue
Variable contribution
Variable contribution margin
Insurance-related costs in the table above include (i) other costs of revenue related to the transportation of freight that are included as a portion of insurance and claims in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income and (ii) certain other costs of revenue related to reinsurance premiums received by Signature that are included as a portion of selling, general and administrative in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. Insurance and claims costs included in other costs of revenue relating to the transportation of freight primarily consist of insurance premiums paid for commercial auto liability, general liability, cargo and other lines of coverage related to the transportation of freight and the related cost of claims incurred under those programs, and, to a lesser extent, the cost of claims incurred under insurance programs available to BCO Independent Contractors that are reinsured by Signature. Other insurance and claims costs included in costs of revenue that are included in selling, general and administrative in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income consist of brokerage commissions and other fees incurred by Signature relating to the administration of insurance programs available to BCO Independent Contractors that are reinsured by Signature.
In general, variable contribution margin on revenue generated by BCO Independent Contractors represents a fixed percentage due to the nature of the contracts that pay a fixed percentage of revenue to both the BCO Independent Contractors and independent commission sales agents. For revenue generated by Truck Brokerage Carriers, variable contribution margin may be either a fixed or variable percentage, depending on the contract with each individual independent commission sales agent. Variable contribution margin on revenue generated from shipments hauled by railroads, air cargo carriers, ocean cargo carriers and Truck Brokerage Carriers, other than those under retention contracts, is variable in nature, as the Company’s contracts with independent commission sales agents provide commissions to agents at a contractually agreed upon percentage of the amount represented by revenue less purchased transportation for these types of shipments. Approximately 43% of the Company’s consolidated revenue in fiscal year 2025 was generated under transactions that pay a fixed percentage of revenue to the third party capacity provider and/or agents while 57% was generated under transactions that pay a variable percentage of revenue to the third party capacity provider and/or agents.
Operating income as a percentage of gross profit and operating income as a percentage of variable contribution
The following table presents operating income as a percentage of gross profit and operating income as a percentage of variable contribution. The Company’s operating income as a percentage of variable contribution is a non-GAAP financial measure calculated as operating income divided by variable contribution. The Company believes that operating income as a percentage of variable contribution is useful and meaningful to investors for the following principal reasons: (i) the variable costs of revenue for a significant portion of the business are highly influenced by short-term market-based trends in the freight transportation industry, whereas other costs, including other costs of revenue, are much less impacted by short-term freight market trends; (ii) disclosure of this measure allows investors to better understand the underlying trends in the Company’s results of operations; (iii) this measure is meaningful to
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investors’ evaluations of the Company’s management of costs attributable to operations other than the purely variable costs associated with purchased transportation and commissions to agents that the Company incurs to provide services to our customers; and (iv) management considers this financial information in its decision-making, such as budgeting for infrastructure, trailing equipment and selling, general and administrative costs.
Fiscal Year
Gross profit
Operating income
Operating income as % of gross profit
Variable contribution
Operating income
Operating income as % of variable contribution
The decrease in operating income as a percentage of gross profit from fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2025 resulted from the decrease of operating income at a more rapid percentage rate than the decrease in gross profit, primarily due to the impact of the impairment of certain intangible and other assets and the impact of the Company’s fixed cost infrastructure, principally certain components of selling, general and administrative costs, in comparison to a smaller gross profit base. The decrease in operating income as a percentage of gross profit from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2024 resulted from the decrease of operating income at a more rapid percentage rate than the decrease in gross profit, primarily due to the impact of the Company’s fixed cost infrastructure, principally certain components of selling, general and administrative costs, in comparison to a smaller gross profit base.
The decrease in operating income as a percentage of variable contribution from fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2025 resulted from the decrease of operating income at a more rapid percentage rate than the decrease in variable contribution, primarily due to the impact of increased insurance and claims costs, the impact of the impairment of certain intangible and other assets and the impact of the Company’s fixed cost infrastructure, principally certain components of selling, general and administrative costs, in comparison to a smaller variable contribution base. The decrease in operating income as a percentage of variable contribution from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2024 resulted from the decrease of operating income at a more rapid percentage rate than the decrease in variable contribution, primarily due to the impact of the Company’s fixed cost infrastructure, principally certain components of selling, general and administrative costs, in comparison to a smaller variable contribution base.
Also, as previously mentioned, the Company reports two operating segments: the transportation logistics segment and the insurance segment. External revenue at the insurance segment, representing reinsurance premiums, has historically been relatively consistent on an annual basis at 2% or less of consolidated revenue and generally corresponds directly with the number of trucks provided by BCO Independent Contractors. The discussion of cost line items in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations considers the Company’s costs on a consolidated basis rather than on a segment basis. Management believes this presentation format is the most appropriate to assist users of the financial statements in understanding the Company’s business for the following reasons: (1) the insurance segment has no other operating costs; (2) discussion of insurance and claims at either segment without reference to the other may create confusion amongst investors and potential investors due to intercompany arrangements and specific deductible programs that affect comparability of financial results by segment between various fiscal periods but that have no effect on the Company from a consolidated reporting perspective; (3) selling, general and administrative costs of the insurance segment comprise less than 10% of consolidated selling, general and administrative costs and have historically been relatively consistent on a year-over-year basis; and (4) the insurance segment has no depreciation and amortization.
Fiscal Year Ended December 27, 2025 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended December 28, 2024
Revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $4,743,760,000, a decrease of $75,485,000, or 2%, compared to fiscal year 2024. Transportation revenue decreased $70,893,000, or 1%. The decrease in transportation revenue was attributable to a decreased number of loads hauled of approximately 1%, while revenue per load was approximately the same as compared to fiscal year 2024. Reinsurance premiums were $58,645,000 and $63,237,000 for fiscal years 2025 and 2024, respectively. The decrease in revenue from reinsurance premiums was primarily attributable to a decrease in the average number of trucks provided by BCO Independent Contractors in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024.
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Truck transportation revenue generated by BCO Independent Contractors and Truck Brokerage Carriers (together, the “third party truck capacity providers”) for fiscal year 2025 was $4,336,014,000, representing 91% of total revenue, a decrease of $10,540,000, or less than 1%, compared to fiscal year 2024. The number of loads hauled by third party truck capacity providers decreased approximately 1% in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024, while revenue per load on loads hauled by third party truck capacity providers increased approximately 1% compared to fiscal year 2024.
The decrease in the number of loads hauled via truck compared to fiscal year 2024 was primarily due to decreased demand from fiscal year 2024 for the Company’s van and less-than-truckload transportation services. Loads hauled via van equipment decreased 4% and less-than-truckload loadings decreased 1%, while loads hauled via other truck transportation services increased 13% and loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment increased 2% as compared to fiscal year 2024.
The increase in revenue per load on loads hauled via truck was primarily due to increased revenue per load on loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment, which was entirely attributable to an increase in the percentage of revenue contributed by heavy/specialized equipment, which typically has a higher revenue per load than unsided/platform loadings transported using standard flatbed and other less specialized pieces of platform equipment. Revenue per load on loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment increased 3%, while revenue per load on less-than-truckload loadings decreased 3%, on loads hauled via van equipment decreased 1% and on other truck transportation services decreased 1% as compared to fiscal year 2024.
Fuel surcharges billed to customers on revenue generated by BCO Independent Contractors are excluded from revenue. Fuel surcharges on Truck Brokerage Carrier revenue identified separately in billings to customers and included as a component of Truck Brokerage Carrier revenue were $108,709,000 and $118,295,000 in fiscal years 2025 and 2024, respectively. It should be noted that billings to many customers of the Company’s truck brokerage services include a single all-in rate and do not separately identify fuel surcharges on loads hauled via Truck Brokerage Carriers. Accordingly, the overall impact of changes in fuel prices on revenue and revenue per load on loads hauled via truck is likely to be greater than that indicated.
Transportation revenue generated by rail intermodal, air cargo and ocean cargo carriers (collectively, the “multimode capacity providers”) for fiscal year 2025 was $328,597,000, or 7% of total revenue, a decrease of $45,633,000, or 12%, compared to fiscal year 2024. Revenue per load on revenue generated by multimode capacity providers decreased approximately 10% in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024, and the number of loads hauled by multimode capacity providers decreased approximately 2% over the same period. Revenue per load on loads hauled via rail intermodal and ocean decreased approximately 4% and 8%, respectively, while revenue per load on loads hauled via air increased approximately 14% during fiscal year 2025 as compared to fiscal year 2024. The decrease in revenue per load on loads hauled by rail intermodal carriers was broad-based with decreases at multiple customers during fiscal year 2025. The decrease in revenue per load on loads hauled by ocean was primarily attributable to the loss of one specific customer during fiscal year 2025 in connection with the Supply Chain Fraud Matter. The increase in revenue per load on loads hauled by air cargo carriers was primarily attributable to increases at several specific customers during fiscal year 2025. Revenue per load on revenue generated by multimode capacity providers is influenced by many factors, including revenue mix among the various modes of transportation used, length of haul, complexity of freight, density of freight lanes, fuel costs and availability of capacity. The decrease in the number of loads hauled by multimode capacity providers was due to a 12% decrease in ocean loadings and a 4% decrease in air loadings, while rail loadings increased 7%. The 12% decrease in ocean loadings was broad-based with decreases at several customers. The 4% decrease in air loadings was primarily attributable to decreases at several specific customers. The 7% increase in rail loadings was primarily attributable to increased loadings at one specific agency.
Purchased transportation was 77.8% and 77.7% of revenue in fiscal years 2025 and 2024, respectively. The increase in purchased transportation as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to an increased rate of purchased transportation on revenue generated by Truck Brokerage Carriers. Commissions to agents were 8.2% and 8.1% of revenue in fiscal years 2025 and 2024, respectively. The increase in commissions to agents as a percentage of revenue was primarily attributable to a decreased cost of purchased transportation as a percentage of revenue on revenue generated by multimode capacity providers.
Investment income was $13,685,000 and $14,810,000 in fiscal years 2025 and 2024, respectively. The decrease in investment income was attributable to lower average rates of return on investments in fiscal year 2025, partially offset by a higher average investment balance held by the insurance segment during fiscal year 2025.
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Other operating costs increased $2,805,000 in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The increase in other operating costs compared to the prior year was primarily due to increased trailer equipment maintenance costs, partially offset by a decreased provision for contractor bad debt.
Insurance and claims increased $45,507,000 in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The highly elevated increase in insurance and claims expense compared to the prior year was primarily due to (i) an increase of $23,258,000 in net unfavorable development of prior years’ claims in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024, as further described below; (ii) increased severity of current year trucking and cargo claims in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024, including $11.0 million related to two separate tragic vehicular accidents which occurred during the 2025 fourth fiscal quarter; and (iii) a $5.3 million increase in the Company’s actuarily determined claim reserves relating to the anticipated loss exposure for claims above $1 million. During the 2025 and 2024 fiscal years, insurance and claims costs included $32,082,000 and $8,824,000 of net unfavorable adjustments to prior years’ estimates, respectively. development of prior years’ estimates of $32,082,000 during the 2025 fiscal year was primarily comprised of (i) approximately $10.7 million of development on commercial trucking up to $1 million per occurrence for years 2024 and prior; (ii) approximately $10.6 million of development on commercial trucking in excess of $1 million per occurrence for years 2024 and prior, including approximately $5.7 million related to the Cabral Matter; (iii) approximately $8.4 million of development on cargo-related primarily attributable to and theft in the supply chain; and (iv) approximately $2.4 million of net development relating to reinsurance arrangements involving the Company’s captive insurance subsidiary, Signature Insurance Company, in connection with certain risks of the Company’s BCO Independent Contractors.
Selling, general and administrative costs increased $12,840,000 in fiscal year 2025 as compared to fiscal year 2024. The increase in selling, general and administrative costs compared to prior year was primarily attributable to increased information technology project consulting fees, increased stock-based compensation expense, increased wages, increased legal fees, an increased provision for incentive compensation and increased employee benefit costs, primarily attributable to increased medical and pharmacy costs under the self-insured portion of the Company’s medical plan, partially offset by the impact of Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) transition costs in fiscal year 2024. Included in selling, general and administrative costs was stock-based compensation expense of $5,998,000 and $3,435,000 for the 2025 and 2024 fiscal years, respectively, and incentive compensation expense of $3,625,000 and $1,970,000 for the 2025 and 2024 fiscal years, respectively.
Depreciation and amortization decreased $10,350,000 in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The decrease in depreciation and amortization expense was primarily due to decreased depreciation on information technology software.
Impairment of intangibles and other assets was $32,170,000 in fiscal year 2025. This was attributable to the impairment matters referenced above under “ Expenses – Impairment of intangible and other assets. ”
The year-over-prior-year change in interest and debt expense (income) was $6,415,000, with net interest and debt expense of $996,000 in fiscal year 2025 compared to net interest and debt income of $5,419,000 in fiscal year 2024. The increase in interest and debt expense (income) was primarily attributable to decreased interest income earned on cash balances held by the transportation logistics segment and increased interest expense related to finance lease obligations.
The effective income tax rate was 23.6% for fiscal year 2025 and 23.0% for fiscal year 2024. The effective income tax rate was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% for fiscal year 2025 primarily attributable to state taxes. The effective income tax rate was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% for fiscal year 2024 primarily attributable to state taxes, partially offset by federal research and development tax credits.
Net income was $115,007,000, or $3.31 per basic and diluted share, in fiscal year 2025. Net income was $195,946,000, or $5.51 per basic and diluted share, in fiscal year 2024. Net income during fiscal year 2025 was unfavorably impacted by $32,170,000, or $0.71 per basic and diluted share, related to the impairment of intangible and other assets charges noted above.
Fiscal Year Ended December 28, 2024 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended December 30, 2023
Revenue for fiscal year 2024 was $4,819,245,000, a decrease of $484,077,000, or 9%, compared to fiscal year 2023. Transportation revenue decreased $474,838,000, or 9%. The decrease in transportation revenue was attributable to a decreased number of loads hauled of approximately 8% and decreased revenue per load of approximately 1% compared to fiscal year 2023. Reinsurance premiums were $63,237,000 and $72,476,000 for fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively. The decrease in revenue from reinsurance premiums was primarily attributable to a decrease in the average number of trucks provided by BCO Independent Contractors in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023.
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Truck transportation revenue generated by third party truck capacity providers for fiscal year 2024 was $4,346,554,000, representing 90% of total revenue, a decrease of $482,976,000, or 10%, compared to fiscal year 2023. The number of loads hauled by third party truck capacity providers decreased approximately 8% in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023, and revenue per load on loads hauled by third party truck capacity providers decreased approximately 2% compared to fiscal year 2023.
The decrease in the number of loads hauled via truck compared to fiscal year 2023 was primarily due to a broad-based decrease in demand for the Company’s truck transportation services. Loads hauled via other truck transportation services decreased 20%, less-than-truckload loadings decreased 13%, loads hauled via van equipment decreased 7% and loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment decreased 6% as compared to fiscal year 2023.
The decrease in revenue per load on loads hauled via truck was primarily due to a softer freight demand environment experienced during fiscal year 2024 and the impact of lower diesel fuel costs on loads hauled via Truck Brokerage Carriers. Revenue per load on loads hauled via other truck transportation services decreased 10%, on loads hauled via van equipment decreased 4% and on less-than-truckload loadings decreased 3%, while revenue per load on loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment increased 3% as compared to fiscal year 2023. The increase in revenue per load on loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment of 3% was favorably impacted by an increase in the percentage of revenue contributed by heavy/specialized equipment, which typically has a higher revenue per load.
Fuel surcharges billed to customers on revenue generated by BCO Independent Contractors are excluded from revenue. Fuel surcharges on Truck Brokerage Carrier revenue identified separately in billings to customers and included as a component of Truck Brokerage Carrier revenue were $118,295,000 and $147,691,000 in fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively. It should be noted that billings to many customers of the Company’s truck brokerage services include a single all-in rate and do not separately identify fuel surcharges on loads hauled via Truck Brokerage Carriers. Accordingly, the overall impact of changes in fuel prices on revenue and revenue per load on loads hauled via truck is likely to be greater than that indicated.
Transportation revenue generated by multimode capacity providers for fiscal year 2024 was $374,230,000, or 8% of total revenue, an increase of $9,295,000, or 3%, compared to fiscal year 2023. Revenue per load on revenue generated by multimode capacity providers increased approximately 3% in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023, while the number of loads hauled by multimode capacity providers was approximately the same in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023. Revenue per load on loads hauled via ocean increased 15%, while revenue per load on loads hauled via air and rail intermodal decreased 51% and 9%, respectively, during fiscal year 2024 as compared to fiscal year 2023. The increase in revenue per load on loads hauled by ocean was broad-based across many customers and reflected the impact of various geopolitical events on ocean shipping rates, generally. The decrease in revenue per load on loads hauled by air cargo carriers was primarily attributable to the impact of high value air loadings at one specific customer during fiscal year 2023. The decrease in revenue per load on loads hauled by rail intermodal was broad-based across many customers. Revenue per load on revenue generated by multimode capacity providers is influenced by many factors, including revenue mix among the various modes of transportation used, length of haul, complexity of freight, density of freight lanes, fuel costs and availability of capacity.
Purchased transportation was 77.7% and 76.7% of revenue in fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase in purchased transportation as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to an increased rate of purchased transportation on revenue generated by Truck Brokerage Carriers. Commissions to agents were 8.1% and 8.7% of revenue in fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively. The decrease in commissions to agents as a percentage of revenue was primarily attributable to an increased cost of purchased transportation as a percentage of revenue on revenue generated by Truck Brokerage Carriers during fiscal year 2024.
Investment income was $14,810,000 and $10,141,000 in fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase in investment income was attributable to a higher average investment balance held by the insurance segment during fiscal year 2024 and higher average rates of return on investments in fiscal year 2024.
Other operating costs increased $4,590,000 in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023. The increase in other operating costs compared to the prior year was primarily due to an increased provision for contractor bad debt and decreased gains on sales of operating property.
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Insurance and claims decreased $312,000 in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023. The decrease in insurance and claims expense compared to the prior year was primarily due to decreased BCO miles traveled during fiscal year 2024, partially offset by increased net unfavorable development of prior years’ claims in fiscal year 2024. During the 2024 and 2023 fiscal years, insurance and claims costs included $8,824,000 and $6,058,000 of net unfavorable adjustments to prior years’ claims estimates, respectively.
Selling, general and administrative costs increased $5,909,000 in fiscal year 2024 as compared to fiscal year 2023. The increase in selling, general and administrative costs compared to prior year was primarily attributable to increased employee benefit costs, primarily attributable to increased medical and pharmacy costs under the self-insured portion of the Company’s medical plan, the impact of Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) transition costs and an increased provision for incentive compensation, partially offset by decreased project consulting fees. Included in selling, general and administrative costs was incentive compensation expense of $1,970,000 and $591,000 for the 2024 and 2023 fiscal years, respectively.
Depreciation and amortization decreased $1,415,000 in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023. The decrease in depreciation and amortization expense was primarily due to decreased trailing equipment depreciation, partially offset by increased depreciation on new and updated digital tools deployed for use by the Company’s network of agents, capacity providers and employees.
Net interest and debt income increased $1,473,000 in fiscal year 2024 compared to fiscal year 2023. The increase in interest and debt income was primarily attributable to increased interest income earned on cash balances held by the transportation logistics segment, partially offset by increased interest expense related to finance lease obligations.
The effective income tax rate was 23.0% for fiscal year 2024 and 24.0% for fiscal year 2023. The effective income tax rate was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% for fiscal year 2024 primarily attributable to state taxes, partially offset by federal research and development tax credits. The effective income tax rate was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% in fiscal year 2023 primarily attributable to state income taxes and nondeductible executive compensation, partially offset by excess tax benefits realized on stock-based awards.
Net income was $195,946,000, or $5.51 per basic and diluted share, in fiscal year 2024. Net income was $264,394,000, or $7.36 per basic and diluted share, in fiscal year 2023.
Capital Resources and Liquidity
Working capital and the ratio of current assets to current liabilities were $520,486,000 and 1.7 to 1, respectively, at December 27, 2025, compared with $646,713,000 and 2.0 to 1, respectively, at December 28, 2024, and $677,517,000 and 2.0 to 1, respectively, at December 30, 2023. Landstar has historically operated with current ratios within the range of 1.5 to 1 to 2.0 to 1. Cash provided by operating activities was $224,882,000, $286,561,000, and $393,648,000 in fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The decrease in cash flow provided by operating activities for fiscal year 2025 was primarily attributable to the impact of decreased net income (excluding the non-cash impact on net income relating to the impairment of intangible and other assets) and the timing of collections of receivables, partially offset by the timing of payments of insurance claims. The decrease in cash flow provided by operating activities for fiscal year 2024 was primarily attributable to decreased net income and decreased favorable net working capital impacts in connection with decreased net receivables, defined as accounts receivable less accounts payable.
The Company declared and paid $1.56 per share, or $54,126,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during fiscal year 2025, and during such period, also paid $70,632,000 of dividends payable which were declared during fiscal year 2024 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 28, 2024. In addition, on December 4, 2025, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share, or $68,117,000 in the aggregate, payable on January 21, 2026 to stockholders of record of its Common Stock as of January 6, 2026. Dividends payable of $68,117,000 related to this special dividend were included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 27, 2025. The Company declared and paid $1.38 per share, or $49,043,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during fiscal year 2024, and during such period, also paid $71,433,000 of dividends payable which were declared during fiscal year 2023 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 30, 2023. In addition, on December 9, 2024, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share, or $70,632,000 in the aggregate, payable on January 21, 2025 to stockholders of record of its Common Stock as of January 7, 2025. Dividends payable of $70,632,000 related to this special dividend were included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 28, 2024. The Company declared and paid $1.26 per share, or $45,276,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during fiscal year 2023, and during such period, also paid $71,854,000 of dividends payable which were declared during fiscal year 2022 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2022. Since paying its first cash dividend in August 2005, the Company has paid approximately $1,087,000,000 in cash dividends in the aggregate to its stockholders, inclusive of the $2.00 per share special dividend paid on January 21, 2026.
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During fiscal year 2025, the Company purchased 1,281,863 shares of its Common Stock at a total cost of $180,901,000, including $179,139,000 in cash purchases and accrued excise tax of $1,762,000 which is included in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 27, 2025. During fiscal year 2024, the Company purchased 452,019 shares of its Common Stock at a total cost of $82,117,000, including $81,400,000 in cash purchases and accrued excise tax of $717,000 which was included in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 28, 2024 and paid during fiscal year 2025. During fiscal year 2023, the Company purchased 319,332 shares of its Common Stock at a total cost of $54,267,000, including $53,919,000 in cash purchases and excise tax of $348,000 which was included in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 30, 2023 and paid during fiscal year 2024. The Company has used cash provided by operating activities to fund the purchases. Since January 1997, the Company has purchased approximately $2,515,000,000 of its Common Stock under programs authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company in open market and private block transactions. As of December 27, 2025, the Company may purchase in the aggregate up to 1,266,118 shares of its Common Stock under its authorized stock purchase programs. Long-term debt, including current maturities, was $76,822,000 at December 27, 2025, compared to $102,307,000 at December 28, 2024 and $71,140,000 at December 30, 2023.
Shareholders’ equity was $795,665,000, or 91% of total capitalization (defined as long-term debt including current maturities plus equity), at December 27, 2025, compared to $972,439,000, or 90% of total capitalization at December 28, 2024 and $983,923,000, or 93% of total capitalization at December 30, 2023. The decrease in shareholders’ equity was primarily the result of purchases of shares of the Company’s Common Stock and dividends declared by the Company in fiscal year 2025, partially offset by net income. The decrease in shareholders’ equity in fiscal year 2024 was primarily the result of dividends declared by the Company and purchases of shares of the Company’s Common Stock, partially offset by net income.
On July 1, 2022, Landstar entered into a second amended and restated credit agreement with a bank syndicate led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (as further amended as of June 21, 2024, the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement, which matures July 1, 2027, provides for borrowing capacity in the form of a revolving credit facility of $300,000,000, $45,000,000 of which may be utilized in the form of letters of credit. The Credit Agreement also includes an “accordion” feature providing for a possible increase of up to an aggregate amount of borrowing capacity of $600,000,000.
The Credit Agreement contains a number of covenants that limit, among other things, the incurrence of additional indebtedness. The Company is required to, among other things, maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, as described in the Credit Agreement, and maintain a Leverage Ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, below a specified maximum. The Credit Agreement provides for a restriction on cash dividends and other distributions to stockholders on the Company’s capital stock to the extent there is a default under the Credit Agreement. In addition, the Credit Agreement under certain circumstances limits the amount of such cash dividends and other distributions to stockholders to the extent that, after giving effect to any payment made to effect such cash dividend or other distribution, the Leverage Ratio would exceed 2.5 to 1 on a pro forma basis as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal quarter. The Credit Agreement provides for an event of default in the event that, among other things, a person or group acquires 35% or more of the outstanding capital stock of the Company or obtains power to elect a majority of the Company’s directors or the directors cease to consist of a majority of Continuing Directors, as defined in the Credit Agreement. None of these covenants are presently considered by the Company to be materially restrictive to the Company’s operations, capital resources or liquidity. The Company is currently in compliance with all of the debt covenants under the Credit Agreement.
At December 27, 2025, the Company had no borrowings outstanding and $34,916,000 of letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Agreement. At December 27, 2025, there was $265,084,000 available for future borrowings under the Credit Agreement and access to an additional $300,000,000 under the Credit Agreement’s “accordion” feature. In addition, the Company has $75,331,000 in letters of credit outstanding as collateral for insurance claims that are secured by investments totaling $83,701,000 at December 27, 2025. Investments, all of which are carried at fair value, include primarily investment-grade bonds, asset-backed securities, commercial paper and U.S. Treasury obligations having maturities of up to five years. Fair value of investments is based primarily on quoted market prices. See “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included herein for further discussion on measurement of fair value of investments.
Historically, the Company has generated sufficient operating cash flow to meet its debt service requirements, fund continued growth, both organic and through acquisitions, complete or execute share purchases of its Common Stock under authorized share purchase programs, pay dividends and meet working capital needs. As an asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions, the Company’s annual capital requirements for operating property are generally for trailing equipment and information
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technology hardware and software. In addition, a significant portion of the trailing equipment used by the Company is provided by third party capacity providers, thereby reducing the Company’s capital requirements. During fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company acquired $7,732,000, $62,194,000 and $4,093,000, respectively, of trailing equipment by entering into finance leases. During fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company also purchased $9,880,000, $30,998,000 and $25,688,000, respectively, of operating property. Landstar anticipates acquiring either by purchase or lease financing approximately $104,000,000 in new trailing equipment, primarily to replace older trailing equipment in fiscal year 2026. Landstar anticipates spending approximately $12,000,000 on information technology hardware and software in fiscal year 2026, $6,000,000 of which relates to either building or buying software applications that enhance or add to the Company’s technology ecosystem. In addition, Landstar anticipates spending approximately $3,000,000 on buildings and improvements in fiscal year 2026.
Management believes that cash flow from operations combined with the Company’s borrowing capacity under the Credit Agreement will be adequate to meet Landstar’s debt service requirements, fund continued growth, both internal and through acquisitions, pay dividends, complete the authorized share purchase programs and meet working capital needs.
Legal Proceedings
As previously disclosed by the Company in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 2025 second quarter filed with the SEC on July 29, 2025, the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 13, 2025, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 2025 third quarter filed with the SEC on October 28, 2025 and the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 21, 2026, a trial verdict (the “Verdict”) was rendered on August 6, 2025 in state court in El Paso County, Texas, in the matter of Eduardo Cabral, et. al. v. Landstar Ranger, Inc., et. al. (the “Cabral Matter”). As previously disclosed, the Verdict included a determination by the jury that Landstar Ranger, Inc. (“Landstar Ranger”) acted as a broker and not as a motor carrier with respect to the transportation of the shipment involved in a tragic accident. The Verdict also determined total monetary damages of $22.8 million and that 15% of such damages, or $3.42 million, was attributable to Landstar Ranger with the remainder of the total monetary attributable to the hauling motor carrier and the hauling motor carrier’s employee truck driver. On January 13, 2026, the trial court entered a judgment (the “Judgment”) with respect to the that found Landstar Ranger financially responsible for 100%, rather than 15%, of the $22.8 million of monetary awarded to the , plus pre-judgment interest. As a result of the Judgment, the Company recorded a pre-tax charge of approximately $5.7 million during the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter to insurance and claim costs which is included in insurance in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 27, 2025. The Company intends to vigorously appeal the Cabral Matter, including the Judgment; however, no assurances can be provided as to the probability of with respect to any potential appeals relating to the Cabral Matter, generally, or the Judgment, specifically, or the ultimate outcome of any such appeals. The total cost associated with this matter, which may include post-judgment interest, bonding-related costs and legal and other professional fees, will depend on many factors and the ultimate financial impact, as well as the timing of the ultimate resolution of this matter, are to predict.
The Company is involved in certain claims and pending litigation arising from the normal conduct of business. Many of these claims are covered in whole or in part by insurance. Based on knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, opinions of outside counsel, management believes that adequate provisions have been made for probable and reasonably estimable losses with respect to the resolution of all such claims and pending litigation and that the ultimate outcome, after provisions therefor, will not have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company, but could have a material effect on the results of operations in a given quarter or year.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Landstar provides for the estimated costs of self-insured claims primarily on an actuarial basis. The amount recorded for the estimated liability for claims incurred is based upon the facts and circumstances known on the applicable balance sheet date. The ultimate resolution of these claims may be for an amount greater or less than the amount estimated by the Company. The Company continually revises its existing claim estimates as new or revised information becomes available on the status of each claim. Historically, the Company has experienced both favorable and unfavorable development of prior years’ claims estimates within its various programs. During fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023, insurance and claims costs included $32,082,000, $8,824,000 and $6,058,000 of net unfavorable adjustments to prior years’ claims estimates, respectively. The unfavorable development of prior years’ claims in the 2025 fiscal year was primarily due to several specific commercial trucking , including $5.7 million related to the Judgment in the Cabral Matter, and elevated cargo experience as a result of and theft in the supply chain. The development of prior years’ in the 2024 and 2023 fiscal years was attributable in each year to several specific . It is reasonably likely that the ultimate outcome of settling all outstanding will be more or less than the estimated liability at December 27, 2025, primarily due to the inherent in estimating the of commercial trucking and the potential judgment or settlement amount that may be incurred in connection with the resolution of such .
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Significant variances from the Company’s estimates for the ultimate resolution of self-insured claims could be expected to positively or negatively affect Landstar’s earnings in a given quarter or year. However, management believes that the ultimate resolution of these items, given a range of reasonably likely outcomes, will not significantly affect the long-term financial condition of Landstar or its ability to fund its continuing operations.