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OPERATING SEGMENT DATA
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA  
OPERATING SEGMENT DATA

NOTE J – OPERATING SEGMENT DATA

​

The Company uses the “management approach” to determine its reportable operating segments, as well as to determine the basis of reporting the operating segment information. The management approach focuses on financial information that the Company’s management uses to make operating decisions. Management uses revenues, operating expense categories, operating ratios, operating income, and key operating statistics to evaluate performance and allocate resources to the Company’s operations.

​

Shared services represent costs incurred to support all segments, including sales, pricing, customer service, marketing, capacity sourcing functions, human resources, financial services, information technology, and other company-wide services. Certain overhead costs are not attributable to any segment and remain unallocated in “Other and eliminations.” Included in unallocated costs are expenses related to investor relations, legal, the ArcBest Board of Directors, and certain technology investments. Shared services costs attributable to the operating segments are predominantly allocated based upon estimated and planned resource utilization-related metrics such as estimated shipment levels, number of pricing proposals, or number of personnel supported. The bases for such charges are modified and adjusted by management when necessary or appropriate to reflect fairly and equitably the actual incidence of cost incurred by the operating segments. Management believes the methods used to allocate expenses are reasonable.

​

The Company’s reportable operating segments are impacted by seasonal fluctuations which affect tonnage, shipment or service event levels, and demand for services, as described below; therefore, operating results for the interim periods presented may not necessarily be indicative of the results for the fiscal year. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on demand for the Company’s services during the second quarter of 2020, resulting in lower tonnage, shipment, and service event levels and, consequently, lower segment revenues for the second quarter of 2020. Although business levels improved in the third quarter of 2020, the Company’s operating segment information for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 does not reflect typical seasonal trends in business levels as described below for the Company’s reportable operating segments as a result of the impact on the COVID-19 pandemic on second quarter business levels.

​

The Company’s reportable operating segments are as follows:

​

●The Asset-Based segment includes the results of operations of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries. The segment operations include national, inter-regional, and regional transportation of general commodities through standard, expedited, and guaranteed LTL services. In addition, the segment operations include freight transportation related to certain consumer household goods self-move services.

​

Freight shipments and operating costs of the Asset-Based segment can be adversely affected by inclement weather conditions. The second and third calendar quarters of each year usually have the highest tonnage levels while the first quarter generally has the lowest, although other factors, including the state of the U.S. and global economies, available capacity in the market, and the impact of other adverse external events or conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic as previously described, may influence quarterly freight tonnage levels.

​

●The ArcBest segment includes the results of operations of the Company’s service offerings in ground expedite, truckload, truckload-dedicated, intermodal, household goods moving, managed transportation, warehousing and distribution, and international freight transportation for air, ocean, and ground.

​

ArcBest segment operations are influenced by seasonal fluctuations that impact customers’ supply chains. The second and third calendar quarters of each year usually have the highest shipment levels while the first quarter generally has the lowest, although other factors, including the state of the U.S. and global economies, available capacity in the market, and the impact of other adverse external events or conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic as previously described, may impact quarterly business levels. Shipments of the ArcBest segment may decline during winter months because of post-holiday slowdowns, but expedite shipments can be subject to short-term increases depending on the impact of weather disruptions to customers’ supply chains. Plant shutdowns during summer months may affect shipments for automotive and manufacturing customers of the ArcBest segment, but severe weather events can result in higher demand for expedite services. Moving services of the ArcBest segment are impacted by seasonal fluctuations, generally resulting in higher business levels in the second and third quarters as the demand for moving services is typically stronger in the summer months.

​

●FleetNet includes the results of operations of FleetNet America, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries that provide roadside assistance and maintenance management services for commercial vehicles through a network of third-party service providers. FleetNet provides services to the Asset-Based and ArcBest segments. Approximately 18% and 20% of FleetNet’s revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, are for services provided to the Asset-Based and ArcBest segments compared to approximately 19% and 17%, respectively, for the same periods of 2019.

​

Emergency roadside service events of the FleetNet segment are favorably impacted by extreme weather conditions that affect commercial vehicle operations, and the segment’s results of operations will be influenced by seasonal variations in service event volume and the impact of other external events or conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic as previously described.

​

The Company’s other business activities and operating segments that are not reportable include ArcBest Corporation and certain other subsidiaries. Certain costs incurred by the parent holding company and the Company’s shared services subsidiary are allocated to the reporting segments. The Company eliminates intercompany transactions in consolidation. However, the information used by the Company’s management with respect to its reportable segments is before intersegment eliminations of revenues and expenses.

​

Further classifications of operations or revenues by geographic location are impracticable and, therefore, are not provided. The Company’s foreign operations are not significant.

​

The following tables reflect reportable operating segment information:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Three Months Ended 

​

Nine Months Ended 

 

​

​

September 30

​

September 30

 

​

    

2020

    

2019

    

2020

    

2019

 

​

​

(in thousands)

 

REVENUES

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Asset-Based

​

$

561,856

​

$

565,621

 

$

1,537,639

 

$

1,631,348

​

ArcBest

​

 

217,294

​

 

199,758

​

 

533,536

​

 

554,135

​

FleetNet

​

 

50,545

​

 

53,976

​

 

149,424

​

 

158,957

​

Other and eliminations

​

 

(34,715)

​

 

(31,792)

​

 

(96,850)

​

 

(73,548)

​

Total consolidated revenues

 

$

794,980

 

$

787,563

 

$

2,123,749

 

$

2,270,892

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

OPERATING EXPENSES

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Asset-Based

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Salaries, wages, and benefits

​

$

287,385

​

$

296,503

 

$

820,218

 

$

873,795

​

Fuel, supplies, and expenses

​

 

50,144

​

 

65,738

​

 

157,044

​

 

195,502

​

Operating taxes and licenses

​

 

12,296

​

 

12,865

​

 

36,719

​

 

37,477

​

Insurance

​

 

8,587

​

 

7,646

​

 

24,658

​

 

23,235

​

Communications and utilities

​

 

4,373

​

 

5,064

​

 

13,426

​

 

14,181

​

Depreciation and amortization

​

 

24,054

​

 

23,776

​

 

70,651

​

 

66,370

​

Rents and purchased transportation

​

 

69,442

​

 

61,102

​

 

171,364

​

 

167,234

​

Shared services

​

​

60,664

​

​

56,031

​

​

155,154

​

​

161,664

​

Gain on sale of property and equipment

​

 

133

​

 

(82)

​

 

(3,206)

​

 

(1,703)

​

Innovative technology costs(1)

​

 

6,199

​

 

4,664

​

 

15,521

​

 

9,200

​

Other(1)

​

 

1,933

​

 

592

​

 

5,168

​

 

2,878

​

Total Asset-Based

​

 

525,210

​

 

533,899

​

​

1,466,717

​

​

1,549,833

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

ArcBest

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Purchased transportation

​

 

181,129

​

 

164,521

​

 

443,401

​

 

452,178

​

Supplies and expenses

​

 

2,746

​

 

2,780

​

 

7,015

​

 

8,412

​

Depreciation and amortization

​

 

2,413

​

 

2,607

​

 

7,332

​

 

8,813

​

Shared services

​

​

24,217

​

​

25,032

​

​

64,784

​

​

71,204

​

Other

​

​

1,958

​

 

2,366

​

​

6,279

​

​

7,224

​

Total ArcBest

​

 

212,463

​

 

197,306

​

 

528,811

​

 

547,831

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

 

​

​

FleetNet

​

 

49,558

​

 

52,805

​

 

146,615

​

 

155,272

​

Other and eliminations

​

 

(32,033)

​

 

(27,655)

 

 

(86,420)

​

 

(57,043)

​

Total consolidated operating expenses

​

$

755,198

​

$

756,355

​

$

2,055,723

​

$

2,195,893

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Asset-Based

​

$

36,646

​

$

31,722

​

$

70,922

​

$

81,515

​

ArcBest

​

 

4,831

​

 

2,452

​

 

4,725

​

 

6,304

​

FleetNet

​

 

987

​

 

1,171

​

 

2,809

​

 

3,685

​

Other and eliminations

​

 

(2,682)

​

 

(4,137)

​

 

(10,430)

​

 

(16,505)

​

Total consolidated operating income

​

$

39,782

​

$

31,208

​

$

68,026

​

$

74,999

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

OTHER INCOME (COSTS)

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Interest and dividend income

​

$

756

​

$

1,768

​

$

3,122

​

$

4,862

​

Interest and other related financing costs

​

 

(2,860)

​

 

(2,900)

​

 

(9,185)

​

 

(8,593)

​

Other, net(2)

​

 

1,500

​

 

(6,734)

​

 

334

​

 

(7,770)

​

Total other income (costs)

​

 

(604)

​

 

(7,866)

​

 

(5,729)

​

 

(11,501)

​

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

​

$

39,178

​

$

23,342

​

$

62,297

​

$

63,498

​

​

(1)Represents costs associated with the freight handling pilot test program at ABF Freight.
(2)Includes the components of net periodic benefit cost other than service cost related to the Company’s nonunion pension, SBP, and postretirement plans (see Note G) and proceeds and changes in cash surrender value of life insurance policies.

​

​

The following table presents operating expenses by category on a consolidated basis:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

    

Three Months Ended 

​

Nine Months Ended 

 

​

​

September 30

​

September 30

​

​

    

2020

    

2019

    

2020

    

2019

    

​

 

(in thousands)

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

OPERATING EXPENSES

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Salaries, wages, and benefits

​

$

363,035

​

$

363,902

​

$

1,013,201

​

$

1,068,685

​

Rents, purchased transportation, and other costs of services

​

 

267,438

​

 

249,110

​

 

672,380

​

 

706,200

​

Fuel, supplies, and expenses

​

 

61,321

​

 

81,023

​

 

187,932

​

 

241,059

​

Depreciation and amortization(1)

​

 

30,032

​

 

29,361

​

 

88,131

​

 

83,332

​

Other

​

 

33,372

​

 

32,959

​

 

94,079

​

 

96,617

​

​

​

$

755,198

​

$

756,355

​

$

2,055,723

​

$

2,195,893

​

(1)Includes amortization of intangible assets.