Exhibit 99.1
FROM: P.A.M. TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, INC.
P.O. BOX 188
Tontitown, AR 72770
Robert W. Weaver
(479) 361-9111
P.A.M. TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, INC.
ANNOUNCES RESULTS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER
ENDED MARCH 31, 2007
Tontitown, Arkansas, May 2, 2007......P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTSI) today reported net income of $1,264,931 or diluted and basic earnings per share of $.12 for the quarter ended March 31, 2007. These results compare to net income of $5,183,360 or diluted and basic earnings per share of $.50 for the quarter ended March 31, 2006. Operating revenues excluding fuel surcharges were $87,543,603 for the first quarter of 2007, a 3.6% decrease compared to $90,849,451 for the first quarter of 2006.
Robert W. Weaver, President of the Company, commented, “Several factors contributed to the reduction of net income for the first quarter of 2007 when compared to the first quarter of 2006. Predominant among these factors was the softening of the freight market in the first quarter of 2007. This decline in demand resulted in very aggressive competition for available freight and generally resulted in a shift to a market more favorable to shippers. The softer freight demand resulted in a decrease in our equipment utilization and a $.08 decrease in our revenue per total mile, before fuel surcharges, for the quarter ended March 31, 2007 compared to March 31, 2006.
Other detriments to first quarter profit included increases in equipment maintenance costs and, to a lesser degree, fuel expense. Severe weather experienced in many of the states which we operate in most heavily resulted in year over year increases in equipment maintenance costs and decreased fuel efficiency. In addition, the cost of fuel increased sharply in March, outpacing offsetting increases in fuel surcharges recovered from customers.
Depreciation expense increased approximately $980,000 for the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006. This increase resulted from a 279 truck year to year growth in the average number of company owned trucks from 1,739 in the first quarter of 2006 to 2,018 in the first quarter of 2007.
While these increases in operating costs were contributory to reduced year over year first quarter net income, our number one challenge remains achieving improvements in freight rates and equipment utilization in the current freight market. If rate and utilization levels achieved in the first quarter of 2006 had remained level in the first quarter of 2007, the Company would have seen little shortfall from expectations.”
P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. is a leading truckload dry van carrier transporting general commodities throughout the continental United States, as well as in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The Company also provides transportation services in Mexico through its gateways in Laredo and El Paso, Texas under agreements with Mexican carriers.
Certain information included in this document contains or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may relate to expected future financial and operating results or events, and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, excess capacity in the trucking industry; surplus inventories; recessionary economic cycles and downturns in customers' business cycles; increases or rapid fluctuations in fuel prices, interest rates, fuel taxes, tolls, license and registration fees; the resale value of the Company's used equipment and the price of new equipment; increases in compensation for and difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified drivers and owner-operators; increases in insurance premiums and deductible amounts relating to accident, cargo, workers' compensation, health, and other claims; unanticipated increases in the number or amount of claims for which the Company is self insured; inability of the Company to continue to secure acceptable financing arrangements; seasonal factors such as harsh weather conditions that increase operating costs; competition from trucking, rail, and intermodal competitors including reductions in rates resulting from competitive bidding; the ability to identify acceptable acquisition candidates, consummate acquisitions, and integrate acquired operations; a significant reduction in or termination of the Company's trucking service by a key customer; and other factors, including risk factors, included from time to time in filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries Key Financial and Operating Statistics (unaudited) | |
| | Quarter ended March 31, | |
| | 2007 | | 2006 | |
| | | | | |
Revenue, before fuel surcharge | | $ | 87,543,603 | | $ | 90,849,451 | |
Fuel surcharge | | | 11,264,853 | | | 9,676,141 | |
| | | 98,808,456 | | | 100,525,592 | |
| | | | | | | |
Operating expenses: | | | | | | | |
Salaries, wages and benefits | | | 33,704,998 | | | 33,229,067 | |
Fuel expense | | | 24,591,642 | | | 22,254,479 | |
Operating supplies | | | 7,482,006 | | | 5,938,169 | |
Rent and purchased transportation | | | 10,034,037 | | | 11,348,969 | |
Depreciation and amortization | | | 9,348,883 | | | 8,366,213 | |
Operating taxes and license | | | 4,350,689 | | | 4,056,873 | |
Insurance and claims | | | 4,535,814 | | | 4,195,563 | |
Communications and utilities | | | 768,163 | | | 694,699 | |
Other | | | 1,640,347 | | | 1,498,434 | |
(Gain) loss on disposition of equipment | | | 17,822 | | | (108,768 | ) |
Total operating expenses | | | 96,474,401 | | | 91,473,698 | |
| | | | | | | |
Operating income | | | 2,334,055 | | | 9,051,894 | |
| | | | | | | |
Other income (expense): | | | | | | | |
Interest expense | | | (246,021 | ) | | (407,522 | ) |
| | | | | | | |
Total other income (expense) | | | (246,021 | ) | | (407,522 | ) |
| | | | | | | |
Income before income taxes | | | 2,088,034 | | | 8,644,372 | |
Provision for income taxes | | | 823,103 | | | 3,461,012 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net income | | $ | 1,264,931 | | $ | 5,183,360 | |
| | | | | | | |
Diluted earnings per share | | $ | 0.12 | | $ | 0.50 | |
| | | | | | | |
Average shares outstanding - Diluted | | | 10,307,581 | | | 10,288,377 | |
| | | | | | | |
| | Quarter ended March 31, | |
Truckload Operations | | 2007 | | 2006 | |
| | | | | |
Total miles | | | 60,621,197 | | | 58,181,343 | |
Operating ratio* | | | 97.40 | % | | 89.23 | % |
Empty miles factor | | | 6.42 | % | | 5.34 | % |
Revenue per total mile, before fuel surcharge | | $ | 1.29 | | $ | 1.37 | |
Total loads | | | 83,250 | | | 79,370 | |
Revenue per truck per work day | | $ | 592 | | $ | 696 | |
Revenue per truck per week | | $ | 2,960 | | $ | 3,480 | |
Average company trucks | | | 2,018 | | | 1,739 | |
Average owner operator trucks | | | 52 | | | 50 | |
| | | | | | | |
Logistics Operations | | | | | | | |
Total revenue | | $ | 9,169,332 | | $ | 11,144,305 | |
Operating ratio | | | 96.79 | % | | 95.84 | % |
| | As of March 31, | |
| | 2007 | | 2006 | |
| | | | | |
Long-term debt to book capitalization | | | 17.48 | % | | 12.43 | % |
Shareholders’ equity | | $ | 186,574,230 | | $ | 170,486,178 | |
___________________________________________________________
* Operating ratio has been calculated based upon total operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge, as a percentage of revenue, before fuel surcharge. We used revenue, before fuel surcharge, and operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge, because we believe that eliminating this sometimes volatile source of revenue affords a more consistent basis for comparing our results of operations from period to period.