Insurance and claims decreased $1,379,000 in the 2024 thirteen-week period compared to the 2023 thirteen-week period. The decrease in insurance and claims expense compared to the prior year was primarily due to decreased net unfavorable development of prior years’ claims in the 2024 thirteen-week period and decreased frequency of trucking accidents during the 2024 thirteen-week period, partially offset by increased severity of current year trucking claims during the 2024 thirteen-week period. During the 2024 and 2023 thirteen-week periods, insurance and claims costs included $1,127,000 and $1,855,000 of net unfavorable adjustments to prior years’ claims estimates, respectively.
Selling, general and administrative costs increased $2,855,000 in the 2024 thirteen-week period compared to the 2023 thirteen-week period. The increase in selling, general and administrative costs compared to prior year was primarily attributable to increased employee benefit costs, primarily attributable to increased medical and pharmacy costs under the self-insured portion of the Company’s medical plan, an increased provision for incentive compensation and the impact of CEO transition costs, partially offset by decreased project consulting fees and a decreased provision for customer bad debt. Included in selling, general and administrative costs was incentive compensation expense of $2,853,000 and $1,421,000 for the 2024 and 2023 thirteen-week periods, respectively.
Depreciation and amortization decreased $1,056,000 in the 2024 thirteen-week period compared to the 2023 thirteen-week period. The decrease in depreciation and amortization expense was primarily due to decreased trailing equipment depreciation, partially offset by increased depreciation on new and updated digital tools deployed for use by the Company’s network of agents, capacity providers and employees.
Net interest and debt income increased $885,000 in the 2024 thirteen-week period compared to the 2023 thirteen-week period. The increase in interest and debt income was primarily attributable to increased interest income earned on cash balances held by the transportation logistics segment and decreased interest expense related to finance lease obligations.
The provisions for income taxes for the 2024 and 2023 thirteen-week periods were based on estimated annual effective income tax rates of 24.5% and 24.4%, respectively, adjusted for discrete events, such as benefits resulting from stock-based awards. The effective income tax rate for the 2024 thirteen-week period was 23.5%. The effective income tax rate was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% in the 2024 period primarily attributable to state taxes. The effective income tax rate for the 2023 thirteen-week period was 23.3%. The effective income tax rate was higher than the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% in the 2023 period primarily attributable to state taxes.
Net income was $47,096,000, or $1.32 per basic and diluted share, in the 2024 thirteen-week period. Net income was $78,195,000, or $2.17 per basic and diluted share, in the 2023 thirteen-week period.
CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY
Working capital and the ratio of current assets to current liabilities were $720,696,000 and 2.2 to 1, respectively, at March 30, 2024, compared with $677,517,000 and 2.0 to 1, respectively, at December 30, 2023. Landstar has historically operated with current ratios within the range of 1.5 to 1 to 2.0 to 1. Cash provided by operating activities was $94,208,000 in the 2024 thirteen-week period compared with $139,035,000 in the 2023 thirteen-week period. The decrease in cash flow provided by operating activities was primarily attributable to decreased net income and decreased favorable net working capital impacts in connection with decreased net receivables, defined as accounts receivable less accounts payable.
The Company declared and paid $0.33 per share, or $11,802,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during the thirteen-week period ended March 30, 2024 and, during such period, also paid $71,433,000 of dividends payable which were declared in December 2023 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 30, 2023. The Company declared and paid $0.30 per share, or $10,806,000 in the aggregate, in cash dividends during the thirteen-week period ended April 1, 2023 and, during such period, also paid $71,854,000 of dividends payable which were declared in December 2022 and included in current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2022. During the thirteen-week period ended March 30, 2024, the Company did not purchase any shares of its common stock. During the thirteen-week period ended April 1, 2023, the Company purchased 89,661 shares of its common stock at a total cost of $15,433,000. As of March 30, 2024, the Company may purchase in the aggregate up to 3,000,000 shares of its common stock under its authorized stock purchase programs. Long-term debt, including current maturities, was $65,226,000 at March 30, 2024, $5,914,000 lower than at December 30, 2023.
Shareholders’ equity was $1,017,911,000, or 94% of total capitalization (defined as long-term debt including current maturities plus equity), at March 30, 2024, compared to $983,923,000, or 93% of total capitalization, at December 30, 2023. The increase in shareholders’ equity was primarily the result of net income, partially offset by dividends declared by the Company in the 2024 thirteen-week period.
26