XML 29 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.21.2

OPERATING SEGMENT DATA | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2021
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. ​ 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 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. ​ 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. The Asset-Based segment provides services to the ArcBest segment, including 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, may influence quarterly freight tonnage levels. ​
| ● | The ArcBest segment includes the results of operations of the Company’s service offerings in ground expedite, truckload, dedicated, intermodal, household goods moving, managed transportation, warehousing and distribution, and international freight transportation for air, ocean, and ground. The ArcBest segment provides services to the Asset-Based segment.
​ 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, 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.
​ 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 are influenced by seasonal variations in service event volume and the impact of other external events or conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic. ​ 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. ​ 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 Company’s 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. ​ 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 |
​ |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |
​ | ​ | (in thousands) |
REVENUES | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Asset-Based | ​ | $ | 681,164 | ​ | $ | 561,856 |  | $ | 1,890,288 |  | $ | 1,537,639 | ​
ArcBest | ​ |  | 305,207 | ​ |  | 217,294 | ​ |  | 828,291 | ​ |  | 533,536 | ​
FleetNet | ​ |  | 66,514 | ​ |  | 50,545 | ​ |  | 185,224 | ​ |  | 149,424 | ​
Other and eliminations | ​ |  | (36,228) | ​ |  | (34,715) | ​ |  | (108,960) | ​ |  | (96,850) | ​
Total consolidated revenues |  | $ | 1,016,657 |  | $ | 794,980 |  | $ | 2,794,843 |  | $ | 2,123,749 | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
OPERATING EXPENSES | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Asset-Based | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Salaries, wages, and benefits | ​ | $ | 305,839 | ​ | $ | 287,385 |  | $ | 893,903 |  | $ | 820,218 | ​
Fuel, supplies, and expenses | ​ |  | 66,947 | ​ |  | 50,144 | ​ |  | 192,477 | ​ |  | 157,044 | ​
Operating taxes and licenses | ​ |  | 12,426 | ​ |  | 12,296 | ​ |  | 36,977 | ​ |  | 36,719 | ​
Insurance | ​ |  | 10,175 | ​ |  | 8,587 | ​ |  | 28,568 | ​ |  | 24,658 | ​
Communications and utilities | ​ |  | 4,559 | ​ |  | 4,373 | ​ |  | 14,192 | ​ |  | 13,426 | ​
Depreciation and amortization | ​ |  | 23,233 | ​ |  | 24,054 | ​ |  | 70,025 | ​ |  | 70,651 | ​
Rents and purchased transportation | ​ |  | 95,855 | ​ |  | 69,442 | ​ |  | 266,525 | ​ |  | 171,364 | ​
Shared services | ​ | ​ | 71,017 | ​ | ​ | 60,664 | ​ | ​ | 196,255 | ​ | ​ | 155,154 | ​
Gain on sale of property and equipment(1) | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | 133 | ​ |  | (8,624) | ​ |  | (3,206) | ​
Innovative technology costs(2) | ​ |  | 6,903 | ​ |  | 6,199 | ​ |  | 21,303 | ​ |  | 15,521 | ​
Other | ​ |  | 592 | ​ |  | 1,933 | ​ |  | 1,103 | ​ |  | 5,168 | ​
Total Asset-Based | ​ |  | 597,546 | ​ |  | 525,210 | ​ | ​ | 1,712,704 | ​ | ​ | 1,466,717 | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
ArcBest | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Purchased transportation | ​ |  | 256,900 | ​ |  | 181,129 | ​ |  | 694,498 | ​ |  | 443,401 | ​
Supplies and expenses | ​ |  | 2,741 | ​ |  | 2,746 | ​ |  | 7,785 | ​ |  | 7,015 | ​
Depreciation and amortization | ​ |  | 2,352 | ​ |  | 2,413 | ​ |  | 7,104 | ​ |  | 7,332 | ​
Shared services | ​ | ​ | 31,048 | ​ | ​ | 24,217 | ​ | ​ | 86,198 | ​ | ​ | 64,784 | ​
Gain on sale of subsidiaries(3) | ​ | ​ | — | ​ | ​ | — | ​ | ​ | (6,923) | ​ | ​ | — | ​
Other | ​ | ​ | 1,984 | ​ |  | 1,958 | ​ | ​ | 6,055 | ​ | ​ | 6,279 | ​
Total ArcBest | ​ |  | 295,025 | ​ |  | 212,463 | ​ |  | 794,717 | ​ |  | 528,811 | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ |  | ​ | ​ |  | ​ | ​
FleetNet | ​ |  | 65,245 | ​ |  | 49,558 | ​ |  | 181,794 | ​ |  | 146,615 | ​
Other and eliminations | ​ |  | (28,720) | ​ |  | (32,033) |  |  | (88,423) | ​ |  | (86,420) | ​
Total consolidated operating expenses | ​ | $ | 929,096 | ​ | $ | 755,198 | ​ | $ | 2,600,792 | ​ | $ | 2,055,723 | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
OPERATING INCOME | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Asset-Based | ​ | $ | 83,618 | ​ | $ | 36,646 | ​ | $ | 177,584 | ​ | $ | 70,922 | ​
ArcBest | ​ |  | 10,182 | ​ |  | 4,831 | ​ |  | 33,574 | ​ |  | 4,725 | ​
FleetNet | ​ |  | 1,269 | ​ |  | 987 | ​ |  | 3,430 | ​ |  | 2,809 | ​
Other and eliminations | ​ |  | (7,508) | ​ |  | (2,682) | ​ | $ | (20,537) | ​ | $ | (10,430) | ​
Total consolidated operating income | ​ | $ | 87,561 | ​ | $ | 39,782 | ​ | ​ | 194,051 | ​ | ​ | 68,026 | ​
OTHER INCOME (COSTS) | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Interest and dividend income | ​ | $ | 323 | ​ | $ | 756 | ​ | $ | 1,037 | ​ | $ | 3,122 | ​
Interest and other related financing costs | ​ |  | (2,072) | ​ |  | (2,860) | ​ |  | (6,774) | ​ |  | (9,185) | ​
Other, net(4) | ​ |  | 338 | ​ |  | 1,500 | ​ |  | 2,641 | ​ |  | 334 | ​
Total other income (costs) | ​ |  | (1,411) | ​ |  | (604) | ​ |  | (3,096) | ​ |  | (5,729) | ​
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES | ​ | $ | 86,150 | ​ | $ | 39,178 | ​ | $ | 190,955 | ​ | $ | 62,297 | ​
(1) | The nine months ended September 30, 2021 includes an $8.6 million gain on the sale of an unutilized service center property.
(2) | Represents costs associated with the freight handling pilot test program at ABF Freight.
(3) | Gain relates to the sale of the labor services portion of the ArcBest segment’s moving business in second quarter 2021.
(4) | Includes the components of net periodic benefit cost other than service cost related to the Company’s SBP and postretirement plans (see Note G) and proceeds and changes in cash surrender value of life insurance policies.
​ The following table reflects information about revenues from customers and intersegment revenues: ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | Three Months Ended | ​ | Nine Months Ended |
​ | ​ | September 30 | ​ | September 30 |
​ |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |
​ | ​ | (in thousands) |
Revenues from customers | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Asset-Based | ​ | $ | 655,737 | ​ | $ | 537,631 |  | $ | 1,815,606 |  | $ | 1,472,944 | ​
ArcBest | ​ |  | 303,076 | ​ |  | 214,857 | ​ |  | 821,355 | ​ |  | 527,488 | ​
FleetNet | ​ |  | 56,656 | ​ |  | 41,276 | ​ |  | 155,041 | ​ |  | 120,265 | ​
Other | ​ |  | 1,188 | ​ |  | 1,216 | ​ |  | 2,841 | ​ |  | 3,052 | ​
Total consolidated revenues |  | $ | 1,016,657 |  | $ | 794,980 |  | $ | 2,794,843 |  | $ | 2,123,749 | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Intersegment revenues | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Asset-Based | ​ | $ | 25,427 | ​ | $ | 24,225 | ​ | $ | 74,682 | ​ | $ | 64,695 | ​
ArcBest | ​ | ​ | 2,131 | ​ | ​ | 2,437 | ​ | ​ | 6,936 | ​ | ​ | 6,048 | ​
FleetNet | ​ | ​ | 9,858 | ​ | ​ | 9,269 | ​ | ​ | 30,183 | ​ | ​ | 29,159 | ​
Other and eliminations | ​ | ​ | (37,416) | ​ | ​ | (35,931) | ​ | ​ | (111,801) | ​ | ​ | (99,902) | ​
Total intersegment revenues | ​ | $ | — |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |  | $ | — | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Total segment revenues | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Asset-Based | ​ | $ | 681,164 | ​ | $ | 561,856 | ​ | $ | 1,890,288 | ​ | $ | 1,537,639 | ​
ArcBest | ​ | ​ | 305,207 | ​ | ​ | 217,294 | ​ | ​ | 828,291 | ​ | ​ | 533,536 | ​
FleetNet | ​ | ​ | 66,514 | ​ | ​ | 50,545 | ​ | ​ | 185,224 | ​ | ​ | 149,424 | ​
Other and eliminations | ​ | ​ | (36,228) | ​ | ​ | (34,715) | ​ | ​ | (108,960) | ​ | ​ | (96,850) | ​
Total consolidated revenues | ​ | $ | 1,016,657 | ​ | $ | 794,980 | ​ | $ | 2,794,843 | ​ | $ | 2,123,749 | ​
​ The following table presents operating expenses by category on a consolidated basis: ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | Three Months Ended | ​ | Nine Months Ended |
​ | ​ | September 30 | ​ | September 30 | ​
​ |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |
​ |  | (in thousands) | ​
OPERATING EXPENSES | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
Salaries, wages, and benefits | ​ | $ | 397,116 | ​ | $ | 363,035 | ​ | $ | 1,145,657 | ​ | $ | 1,013,201 | ​
Rents, purchased transportation, and other costs of services | ​ |  | 382,759 | ​ |  | 267,438 | ​ |  | 1,039,857 | ​ |  | 672,380 | ​
Fuel, supplies, and expenses | ​ |  | 82,051 | ​ |  | 61,321 | ​ |  | 235,221 | ​ |  | 187,932 | ​
Depreciation and amortization(1) | ​ |  | 30,359 | ​ |  | 30,032 | ​ |  | 90,995 | ​ |  | 88,131 | ​
Other(2) | ​ |  | 36,811 | ​ |  | 33,372 | ​ |  | 89,062 | ​ |  | 94,079 | ​
​ | ​ | $ | 929,096 | ​ | $ | 755,198 | ​ | $ | 2,600,792 | ​ | $ | 2,055,723 | ​
(1) | Includes amortization of intangible assets.
(2) | The nine months ended September 30, 2021 includes a $6.9 million gain related to the sale of a subsidiary within the ArcBest segment and an $8.6 million gain related to the sale of an unutilized service center property within the Asset-Based segment.
​

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SegmentReportingAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for reporting segments including data and tables. Reportable segments include those that meet any of the following quantitative thresholds a) it's reported revenue, including sales to external customers and intersegment sales or transfers is 10 percent or more of the combined revenue, internal and external, of all operating segments b) the absolute amount of its reported profit or loss is 10 percent or more of the greater, in absolute amount of 1) the combined reported profit of all operating segments that did not report a loss or 2) the combined reported loss of all operating segments that did report a loss c) its assets are 10 percent or more of the combined assets of all operating segments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 31 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8924-108599 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8981-108599 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8721-108599 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 40 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e9031-108599 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 26 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8844-108599 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 41 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e9038-108599 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8736-108599 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 42 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e9054-108599 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8657-108599 Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8721-108599 Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134510 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SegmentReportingDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration