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Compared to Estimates, Knight-Swift (KNX) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

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For the quarter ended September 2026, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (KNX - Free Report) reported revenue of $2.2 billion, up 14.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.83, compared to $0.32 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.91% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.14 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.75, the EPS surprise was +10.67%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Knight-Swift performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • Operating Ratio: 91.9% versus 92.3% estimated by five analysts on average.
  • Adjusted Operating Ratio: 89.3% compared to the 91.2% average estimate based on five analysts.
  • Adjusted Operating Ratio - Truckload: 89.2% versus 92.7% estimated by four analysts on average.
  • Adjusted Operating Ratio - LTL: 91.4% versus 91.3% estimated by four analysts on average.
  • Revenue, excluding truckload and LTL fuel surcharge: $1.85 billion compared to the $1.81 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.7% year over year.
  • Truckload and LTL fuel surcharge: $348.1 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $331.85 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +68.8%.
  • Operating revenue- LTL: $434.52 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $433.55 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.1%.
  • Revenue, excluding fuel surcharge and intersegment transactions- Truckload Segment: $1.15 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.14 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +6.5%.
  • Operating revenue- Logistics: $138.97 million compared to the $145 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1% year over year.
  • Revenue, excluding fuel surcharge- LTL Segment: $341.7 million compared to the $347.63 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.4% year over year.
  • Operating revenue- Intermodal: $122.88 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $116.92 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +30.6%.
  • Operating revenue- Truckload: $1.41 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.38 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +14%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Knight-Swift here>>>

Shares of Knight-Swift have returned -5.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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