ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION
ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION	NOTE A – ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION Organization and Description of Business ArcBest Corporation® (the “Company”) is the parent holding company of businesses providing integrated logistics solutions. The Company’s operations are conducted through its three reportable operating segments: Asset-Based, which consists of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries; ArcBest, the Company’s asset-light logistics operation; and FleetNet. References to the Company in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are primarily to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. The Asset-Based segment represented approximately 70% of the Company’s 2017 total revenues before other revenues and intercompany eliminations. As part of our corporate restructuring (further described in Note N), effective January 1, 2017, certain nonunion employees in the areas of sales, pricing, customer service, financial services, marketing, and capacity sourcing were transferred to our shared services (reported in “Other and eliminations”), which increased the percentage of union employees within the Asset-Based segment. As of December 2017, approximately 83% of the Asset-Based segment’s employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (the “ABF NMFA”), with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”) which extends through March 31, 2018. The ABF NMFA included a 7% wage rate reduction upon the November 3, 2013 implementation date, followed by wage rate increases of 2% on July 1 in each of the next three years, which began in 2014, and a 2.5% increase on July 1, 2017; a one‑week reduction in annual compensated vacation effective for employee anniversary dates on or after April 1, 2013; the option to expand the use of purchased transportation; and increased flexibility in labor work rules. The ABF NMFA and the related supplemental agreements provide for continued contributions to various multiemployer health, welfare, and pension plans maintained for the benefit of the Asset-Based segment’s employees who are members of the IBT. The estimated net effect of the November 3, 2013 wage rate reduction and the benefit rate increase which was applied retroactively to August 1, 2013 was an initial reduction of approximately 4% to the combined total contractual wage and benefit rate under the ABF NMFA. Following the initial reduction, the combined contractual wage and benefit contribution rate under the ABF NMFA increased approximately 2.5% on a compounded annual basis throughout the contract period, which extends through March 31, 2018. On September 2, 2016, the ArcBest segment acquired Logistics & Distribution Services, LLC (“LDS”), a private logistics and distribution company, in a transaction valued at $25.0 million, reflecting net cash consideration of $17.0 million paid at closing and an additional $8.0 million of contingent consideration to be paid over the next two years based upon the achievement of certain financial targets, of which $3.5 million was paid in January 2018. On December 1, 2015, the ArcBest segment acquired Bear Transportation Services, L.P. (“Bear”), a privately-owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $24.4 million. On January 2, 2015, the ArcBest segment acquired Smart Lines Transportation Group, LLC (“Smart Lines”), a privately‑owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $5.2 million. As these acquired businesses are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial condition, pro forma financial information and the purchase price allocations of acquired assets and liabilities have not been presented. The results of the acquired operations subsequent to the respective acquisition dates have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. On December 29, 2017, the Company divested certain subsidiaries associated with the moving services of its ArcBest segment in a transaction valued at $5.2 million, reflecting $0.5 million in net cash consideration and $4.7 million in contingent consideration. On December 30, 2016, the Company divested certain other moving services subsidiaries of its ArcBest segment valued at $4.8 million, reflecting $2.8 million in net cash consideration and $2.0 million in contingent consideration, which was received during 2017. The subsidiaries are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial condition. Financial Statement Presentation Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. Segment Information: The Company uses the “management approach” for determining its reportable segment information. The management approach is based on the way management organizes the reportable segments within the Company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. See Note M for further discussion of segment reporting. Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts may differ from those estimates. Reclassifications: Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior years’ consolidated financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The insurance receivable for the amount of workers’ compensation and third-party casualty claims in excess of self-insurance retention limits, which was previously offset against the reserve included in accrued expenses, has been reclassed to other accounts receivable, resulting in an $8.7 million increase in other accounts receivable and a corresponding increase in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016. Amounts totaling $18.6 million related to certain service centers of the Company’s Asset-Based operations previously recorded in leasehold improvements were reclassed to land and structures in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016. These reclassifications were previously reported in the Company’s first quarter 2017 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The prior period impact of the reclassification of the insurance receivable is also reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. Reclassifications were also made to the consolidated financial statements to apply the provisions of accounting pronouncements adopted during the first quarter of 2017 related to deferred income taxes, share-based compensation, and cash flow classification (see Adopted Accounting Pronouncements within Note B). The Company’s deferred tax assets were reclassed, by jurisdiction, from current to long-term in the consolidated balance sheets. The net change in restricted cash previously presented in financing activities of the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows was removed and restricted cash was included in the reconciliation of beginning- and end-of-period totals of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Cash paid by the Company when directly withholding shares from an employee’s share-based compensation award for tax-withholding purposes was reclassified from an operating activity within changes in income taxes to a financing activity in the consolidated statements of cash flows. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated revenues, operating expenses, operating income, or earnings per share as a result of the reclassifications. During the third quarter of 2017, the Company modified the presentation of segment expenses allocated from shared services. Previously, expenses allocated from company-wide functions were categorized in individual segment expense line items by type of expense. Allocated expenses are now presented on a single shared services line within the Company’s operating segment disclosures. Reclassifications have been made to the prior period operating segment expenses to conform to the current year presentation. There was no impact on each segment’s total expenses as a result of the reclassifications.

NOTE A – ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

Organization and Description of Business

ArcBest Corporation® (the “Company”) is the parent holding company of businesses providing integrated logistics solutions. The Company’s operations are conducted through its three reportable operating segments: Asset-Based, which consists of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries; ArcBest, the Company’s asset-light logistics operation; and FleetNet. References to the Company in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are primarily to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

The Asset-Based segment represented approximately 70% of the Company’s 2017 total revenues before other revenues and intercompany eliminations. As part of our corporate restructuring (further described in Note N), effective January 1, 2017, certain nonunion employees in the areas of sales, pricing, customer service, financial services, marketing, and capacity sourcing were transferred to our shared services (reported in “Other and eliminations”), which increased the percentage of union employees within the Asset-Based segment. As of December 2017, approximately 83% of the Asset-Based segment’s employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (the “ABF NMFA”), with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”) which extends through March 31, 2018. The ABF NMFA included a 7% wage rate reduction upon the November 3, 2013 implementation date, followed by wage rate increases of 2% on July 1 in each of the next three years, which began in 2014, and a 2.5% increase on July 1, 2017; a one‑week reduction in annual compensated vacation effective for employee anniversary dates on or after April 1, 2013; the option to expand the use of purchased transportation; and increased flexibility in labor work rules. The ABF NMFA and the related supplemental agreements provide for continued contributions to various multiemployer health, welfare, and pension plans maintained for the benefit of the Asset-Based segment’s employees who are members of the IBT. The estimated net effect of the November 3, 2013 wage rate reduction and the benefit rate increase which was applied retroactively to August 1, 2013 was an initial reduction of approximately 4% to the combined total contractual wage and benefit rate under the ABF NMFA. Following the initial reduction, the combined contractual wage and benefit contribution rate under the ABF NMFA increased approximately 2.5% on a compounded annual basis throughout the contract period, which extends through March 31, 2018.

On September 2, 2016, the ArcBest segment acquired Logistics & Distribution Services, LLC (“LDS”), a private logistics and distribution company, in a transaction valued at $25.0 million, reflecting net cash consideration of $17.0 million paid at closing and an additional $8.0 million of contingent consideration to be paid over the next two years based upon the achievement of certain financial targets, of which $3.5 million was paid in January 2018. On December 1, 2015, the ArcBest segment acquired Bear Transportation Services, L.P. (“Bear”), a privately-owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $24.4 million. On January 2, 2015, the ArcBest segment acquired Smart Lines Transportation Group, LLC (“Smart Lines”), a privately‑owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $5.2 million. As these acquired businesses are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial condition, pro forma financial information and the purchase price allocations of acquired assets and liabilities have not been presented. The results of the acquired operations subsequent to the respective acquisition dates have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

On December 29, 2017, the Company divested certain subsidiaries associated with the moving services of its ArcBest segment in a transaction valued at $5.2 million, reflecting $0.5 million in net cash consideration and $4.7 million in contingent consideration. On December 30, 2016, the Company divested certain other moving services subsidiaries of its ArcBest segment valued at $4.8 million, reflecting $2.8 million in net cash consideration and $2.0 million in contingent consideration, which was received during 2017. The subsidiaries are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial condition.

Financial Statement Presentation

Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Segment Information: The Company uses the “management approach” for determining its reportable segment information. The management approach is based on the way management organizes the reportable segments within the Company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. See Note M for further discussion of segment reporting.

Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts may differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications: Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior years’ consolidated financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The insurance receivable for the amount of workers’ compensation and third-party casualty claims in excess of self-insurance retention limits, which was previously offset against the reserve included in accrued expenses, has been reclassed to other accounts receivable, resulting in an $8.7 million increase in other accounts receivable and a corresponding increase in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016. Amounts totaling $18.6 million related to certain service centers of the Company’s Asset-Based operations previously recorded in leasehold improvements were reclassed to land and structures in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016. These reclassifications were previously reported in the Company’s first quarter 2017 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The prior period impact of the reclassification of the insurance receivable is also reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

Reclassifications were also made to the consolidated financial statements to apply the provisions of accounting pronouncements adopted during the first quarter of 2017 related to deferred income taxes, share-based compensation, and cash flow classification (see Adopted Accounting Pronouncements within Note B). The Company’s deferred tax assets were reclassed, by jurisdiction, from current to long-term in the consolidated balance sheets. The net change in restricted cash previously presented in financing activities of the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows was removed and restricted cash was included in the reconciliation of beginning- and end-of-period totals of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Cash paid by the Company when directly withholding shares from an employee’s share-based compensation award for tax-withholding purposes was reclassified from an operating activity within changes in income taxes to a financing activity in the consolidated statements of cash flows. There was no impact on the Company’s consolidated revenues, operating expenses, operating income, or earnings per share as a result of the reclassifications.

During the third quarter of 2017, the Company modified the presentation of segment expenses allocated from shared services. Previously, expenses allocated from company-wide functions were categorized in individual segment expense line items by type of expense. Allocated expenses are now presented on a single shared services line within the Company’s operating segment disclosures. Reclassifications have been made to the prior period operating segment expenses to conform to the current year presentation. There was no impact on each segment’s total expenses as a result of the reclassifications.