J.B. Hunt’s(NASDAQ: JBHT) share price hit the skids following the Q4 2024 results but will not likely be down long, nor will the transportation industry with it. The results weren’t bad but tepid relative to analysts' expectations, leaving the freight recovery in doubt.
The freight market hit bottom in 2023 and 2024 but has yet to regain traction, but it will. Overcapacity and sluggish inventory replacement are expected to give way to rising volumes and spot rates in 2025. The forecasts vary, but a mid-to-high single-digit pace is expected for the freight industry, with strength building in the back half. Intermodal, a segment in which J.B. Hunt excels, will likely lead with growth in the mid-teens, supported by increased international demand.
