Tax Gain Boosts Expeditors

The shipping company's earnings nearly double and revenue rises 18%.

Author:: TSC and IRIS Staff
Publish date:: Feb 14, 2006 3:21 PM EST

Expeditors International

, a provider of logistics services, said its fourth-quarter earnings rose 85%, aided by a tax benefit and strong freight demand.

The Seattle-based company earned $80.5 million, or 72 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with $43.6 million, or 39 cents a share, a year ago. Excluding a $21.7 million tax benefit, earnings were 53 cents a share. On that basis, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial were expecting the company to earn 51 cents a share.

Fourth-quarter revenue rose 18% from a year ago to $1.1 billion. Analysts had forecast revenue of $1.07 billion.

"We were able to handle a significant increase in freight without having to add a commensurate amount of expense," the company said.

Expeditors shares were up $1.60, or 2.1%, to $77.31.

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