PAGE F1 Selected Consolidated Financial Data (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Statements of Operations Operating Revenue $ 1,565,249 $ 1,330,972 $ 1,144,458 $ 1,016,464 $ 898,920 Income from operations 105,010 67,128 (1) 67,543 69,666 61,222 Interest expense, net (7,423) (11,495) (8,177) (8,417) (7,391) Other non-operating expense (92) (704) (878) (2,011) (1,683) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net income from continuing operations before income taxes 97,495 54,929 58,488 59,238 52,148 Income tax expense (40,914) (23,451) (25,150) (25,882) (23,603) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net income from continuing operations 56,581 31,478 33,338 33,356 28,545 Discontinued operations - - - - (1,197) Extraordinary item - operating rights - - - (1,291) - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net income $ 56,581 $ 31,478(1) $ 33,338 $ 32,065 $ 27,348 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Basic Earnings Per Share Net income per share from continuing operations $ 2.21 $ 1.41(1) $ 1.52 $ 1.53 $ 1.26 Net income per share 2.21 1.41(1) 1.52 1.47 1.21 Diluted Earnings Per Share Net income per share from continuing operations $ 2.19 $ 1.40(1) $ 1.51 $ 1.51 $ 1.25 Net income per share 2.19 1.40(1) 1.51 1.45 1.20 Cash dividends declared per share $ 0.37 $ 0.37 $ 0.37 $ 0.37 $ 0.37 Operating Statistics LTL trucking companies (in thousands) Total tons 8,579 7,732 6,835 6,210 5,977 Total shipments 12,857 11,590 10,187 9,045 8,762 Balance Sheets Assets: Current assets $ 237,116 $ 203,577 $ 158,611 $ 144,615 $ 122,770 Property and equipment, net 448,315 395,500 338,846 272,264 247,123 Intangible assets, net 104,407 79,559 69,918 72,194 77,132 Other assets 9,697 9,872 10,819 11,929 13,755 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total assets $ 799,535 $ 688,508 $ 578,194 $ 501,002 $ 460,780 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity: Current liabilities $ 181,714 $ 144,348 $ 128,484 $ 118,447 $ 97,744 Long-term debt 115,000 178,000 137,333 105,667 124,085 Other non-current liabilities 110,621 96,900 79,225 68,794 58,442 Total stockholders' equity 392,200 269,260 233,152 208,094 180,509 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 799,535 $ 688,508 $ 578,194 $ 501,002 $ 460,780 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1) Income from operations, net income and earnings per share are after the USF Red Star restructuring charge of $4,050 before income tax, equivalent to $0.10 per share, net of tax. PAGE F2 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Fiscal Year Ended January 3, 1998, Compared to Fiscal Year Ended December 28, 1996 Operating revenue for the 53 weeks ended January 3, 1998 ("Fiscal 1997") increased by $234,277,000 (17.6%) to $1,565,249,000 from $1,330,972,000 for the 52 weeks ended December 28, 1996 ("Fiscal 1996"). The extra week in Fiscal 1997 (which occurs only once every five or six years) contributed approximately $20,600,000 in revenue but had a negative impact on earnings of approximately $0.04 per share because the New Year's holiday fell during that week. The Company's regional less-than-truckload ("LTL") trucking companies' revenue increased by $177,726,000 (a 14.4% increase over the prior year) to $1,409,086,000 in Fiscal 1997 from $1,231,360,000 in Fiscal 1996 primarily as a result of new customers, closure of certain competitors and expanded business from existing customers. In Fiscal 1997, LTL shipments increased by 10.9% while average revenue per LTL shipment increased by 3.4% compared to Fiscal 1996. Additionally, in Fiscal 1997 LTL tonnage increased by 12.1% while revenue per LTL hundredweight increased by 2.4% compared to Fiscal 1996. At the Company's logistics subsidiaries, USF Logistics and USF Distribution Services, operating revenue grew by $20,698,000 from $85,601,000 in Fiscal 1996 to $106,299,000 in Fiscal 1997 (a 24.2% increase over the prior year) primarily due to the addition of new customers at USF Logistics and a full year of revenue at Interamerican, a provider of warehousing, transportation, distribution and other logistics services, which was acquired on July 1, 1996. USF Seko Worldwide, a domestic and international freight forwarder which was acquired on September 30, 1997, contributed $31,813,000 revenue in Fiscal 1997, and operated at an annualized revenue of approximately $120,000,000 at the time of acquisition. In Fiscal 1997, the LTL regional trucking companies accounted for 90.0% of consolidated operating revenue, whereas the logistics, freight forwarding and other subsidiaries accounted for 10.0%. In Fiscal 1996, the LTL regional trucking companies accounted for 92.5% of all consolidated operating revenue, the logistics and other subsidiaries for 7.5%. Operating income in Fiscal 1997 was enhanced by a relatively mild winter, a stable pricing environment and a strong economy unlike Fiscal 1996 which was adversely impacted by severe weather during the winter months, intense industry competitive pricing and a somewhat sluggish economy in the first half of the year. A fuel surcharge, which was implemented to partially offset the increase in fuel prices in the summer of Fiscal 1996, remained in effect throughout most of Fiscal 1997. The turnaround achieved at USF Red Star during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 1996 continued through Fiscal 1997 as it reported modest profits during each of the four quarters in Fiscal 1997. Income from operations increased by 56.4% to $105,010,000 in Fiscal 1997 from $67,128,000, in Fiscal 1996, which is after the $4,050,000 restructuring charge at USF Red Star. This increase results from higher income at each of the regional carriers, additional profits from a full year of operations at Interamerican and the last quarter Fiscal 1997 profits at USF Seko Worldwide. Following the acquisition of USF Seko Worldwide, the Company's statement of operations has fundamentally changed because the relative importance of certain expenses in the freight forwarding business is different than in the LTL trucking business. Typically, salaries, wages and benefits will approximate 5% to 10% of a freight forwarder's operating revenue while purchased transportation (consisting of airlift, pickup and delivery costs and agents' commissions) will approximate 80% to 90% of operating revenue. On the other hand, salaries, wages and benefits for regional trucking companies will approximate 60% and purchased transportation will approximate 3% to 4% of operating revenue. In Fiscal 1997, the Company's total operating expenses (including amortization of intangible assets) to operating revenue improved to 93.3% from 95.0% in Fiscal 1996. The improvement in salaries, wages and benefits to 62.1% in Fiscal 1997 from 63.7% in Fiscal 1996 was virtually offset by an increase in purchased transportation to 5.4% in Fiscal 1997 from 3.7%, in Fiscal 1996, both of which were a direct result of the inclusion of USF Seko Worldwide's results in Fiscal 1997. The principal reduction in total operating expenses occurred in the Other operating expenses category which improved to 19.5% of Fiscal 1997 operating revenue compared to 20.9% of Fiscal 1996 operating revenue. This reduction results from the favorable impact of a fuel surcharge that was in effect for all of Fiscal 1997, except at USF Holland where the fuel surcharge ended in late June 1997, compared to its being in effect only during the last half of Fiscal 1996. Depreciation and amortization expense improved to 4.5% of Fiscal 1997 operating revenue from 4.7% of Fiscal 1996 operating revenue due to improvements in equipment utilization and selective purchasing of used transportation equipment. The non-recurring USF Red Star restructure charge amounted to 0.3% of Fiscal 1996 operating revenue. PAGE F3 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Interest expense, as a percentage of operating revenue, decreased to 0.5% in Fiscal 1997 from 0.9% in Fiscal 1996 as the net proceeds of $69,431,000 from the Company's sale of 3,105,000 shares in February 1997 allowed the Company to remain basically free of bank debt during the year. Fiscal Year Ended December 28, 1996 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended December 30, 1995 Operating revenue for the 52 weeks ended December 28, 1996 ("Fiscal 1996") increased by $186,514,000 (16.3%) to $1,330,972,000 from $1,144,458,000 for the 52 weeks ended December 30, 1995 ("Fiscal 1995"). Of the total operating revenue increase, the regional less-than-truckload ("LTL") trucking companies accounted for $155,704,000 (a 14.5% increase over the prior year) primarily as a result of new customers, expanded business from existing customers and the acquisition of Transus in the Southeast. Effective January 1, 1996, USF Dugan acquired the business of Transus, a Southeastern LTL motor carrier, which included 29 terminals, some of which were operating in cities where USF Dugan previously had an existing presence. Those terminal locations, which were duplicated in both systems, were consolidated. Also, during January 1996, USF Reddaway andUSF United successfully completed a merger of their separate operating systems resulting in elimination of four redundant terminal locations. Finally, as a result of restructuring its operations during 1996, USF Red Star reduced its terminals by six to 26 with no loss in geographic coverage. In Fiscal 1996, LTL shipments increased by 15.4% while average revenue per LTL shipment declined by 0.5% compared to Fiscal 1995. Additionally, in Fiscal 1996 LTL tonnage increased by 16.4% while revenue per LTL hundredweight declined by 1.4% compared to Fiscal 1995. At the Company's logistics subsidiaries, USF Logistics and USF Distribution Services, operating revenue grew by $21,508,000 from $64,093,000 in Fiscal 1995 to $85,601,000 in Fiscal 1996 (a 33.6% increase over the prior year) primarily due to the addition of new customers at USF Logistics and its acquisition of Interamerican, a provider of warehousing, transportation, distribution and other logistics services, effective July 1, 1996. In Fiscal 1996, the LTL regional trucking companies accounted for 92.5% of consolidated operating revenue; the logistics and other subsidiaries accounted for 7.5%. In Fiscal 1995, the LTL regional trucking companies accounted for 94.0% of all consolidated operating revenue, the logistics and other subsidiaries for 6.0%. Operating income in the first half of 1996 was adversely impacted by severe weather during the winter months, intense industry competitive pricing and a somewhat sluggish economy. In the last half of the year, industry pricing firmed, the economy improved, and revenue growth returned to double digits. A fuel surcharge was also implemented to partially offset the increase in fuel prices. A turnaround was achieved at USF Red Star during the fourth quarter where, despite a 5.2% reduction in total revenue, the operating ratio improved from 104.3% in the 1995 fourth quarter to 99.5% in the 1996 fourth quarter, before a restructuring charge discussed below. The improvement at USF Red Star resulted from an increase in yield per shipment of 5.6% together with a significant reduction in operating costs resulting from strict cost control. PAGE F4 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Income from operations, after a $4,050,000 restructuring charge at USF Red Star, decreased by 0.6% to $67,128,000 in Fiscal 1996 from $67,543,000 in Fiscal 1995. The restructuring charge at USF Red Star related primarily to ongoing lease commitments for terminals no longer occupied and to severance pay incurred in connection with the reduction in personnel. The Company anticipates that no further charges against its operations will occur as a result of the USF Red Star restructuring which occurred during Fiscal 1996. The decline in revenue per shipment, costs incurred associated with the acquisition of Transus, and the USF Red Star restructuring charge were major factors in the reduction in operating income. Other operating expenses increased to 20.9% of operating revenue in Fiscal 1996 from 20.4% in Fiscal 1995, mainly due to higher fuel costs incurred which were not recovered by surcharges in the first half of the year. Depreciation and amortization increased to 4.7% of operating revenue during Fiscal 1996 from 4.2% in Fiscal 1995 due mainly to revenue equipment acquired with the purchase of Transus. These cost increases were partially offset by a reduction in salaries, wages and benefits from 64.1% in Fiscal 1995 to 63.7% in Fiscal 1996 due mainly to personnel reductions at USF Red Star and improved operating efficiencies at USF Holland. Interest expense, as a percentage of operating revenue, increased slightly to 0.9% in Fiscal 1996 from 0.8% in Fiscal 1995 despite a decrease in average interest rates of approximately 0.4%, as average debt outstanding increased due to the acquisitions of Transus and Interamerican and capital expenditures. Liquidity and Capital Resources The Company generated $137,058,000 in cash flows from operating activities during Fiscal 1997. Capital expenditures during the year amounted to $155,588,000, of which $91,093,000 was for revenue equipment, $18,836,000 for terminals, $18,880,000 for other assets and $26,779,000 for the cash acquisitions of USF Seko Worldwide, an airfreight forwarding company, and Mercury Distribution, an LTL general commodities carrier located in the Northeast. Capital expenditures for Fiscal 1996 amounted to $134,822,000 including $40,765,000 for the acquisitions of Transus and Interamerican. In light of current business levels, management expects that capital expenditures during the fiscal year ending on January 2, 1999 ("Fiscal 1998") will approximate $140,000,000 to $160,000,000. In February 1997, the Company sold 3,105,000 of its shares in a public offering. The net proceeds from the sale, amounting to approximately $69,431,000 were initially used to repay outstanding debt under the Company's revolving credit facility. In November 1997, the Company replaced its existing $160,000,000 revolving credit facility with a new $200,000,000 revolving credit facility through a syndicate of commercial banks. The new facility expires in 2002 and allows up to $100,000,000 for standby letters of credit to cover the Company's self insurance program, and has optional pricing of interest rates, including LIBOR or Prime base rates. The facility has an annual fee and contains customary financial covenants including maintenance of minimum net worth and funded debt to cash flow. During Fiscal 1997, all borrowings were drawn at LIBOR base rates, with a weighted average interest rate for the year of 5.9%, excluding fees charged on the facility. At January 3, 1998 the Company had borrowed $15,000,000 and had $47,439,000 outstanding letters of credit under this facility. PAGE F5 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations In addition to the revolving credit facility, the Company maintains four uncommitted lines of credit, which provide $39,000,000 short-term funds at rates approximating LIBOR. These facilities are used in concert with a centralized cash management system to finance short-term working capital needs, thereby enabling the Company to maintain minimal cash balances. In management's opinion, cash flows from operating activities and funding from its revolving credit facilities are adequate to finance the Company's anticipated business activity in Fiscal 1998. At January 3, 1998 the Company had commitments to purchase approximately $12,778,000 in land and improvements, $30,671,000 for transportation equipment and $679,000 for other equipment. During Fiscal 1997, the Company declared cash dividends of $9,682,000. Other The Company uses underground storage tanks at certain terminal facilities and maintains a comprehensive policy of testing, upgrading, replacing or eliminating these tanks to protect the environment and comply with various Federal and state laws. Whenever any contamination is detected, the Company takes prompt remedial action to remove the contaminants. It is management's opinion that the total costs related to all known incidents have been provided for in the financial statements and management is not aware of any potential contamination incidents that would have a material effect on the results of the Company. In 1997, the Company began, for all of its computer systems, a year 2000 date compliance project to address all necessary changes, testing and implementation. At January 3, 1998, substantially all of the Company's internally developed systems were compliant. The Company has targeted December 31, 1998 as its compliance project completion date. By achieving completion at December 31, 1998, the Company will have a full year to complete any additional testing of internal systems and externally provided systems. The Company does not expect the amounts that will be required to be expensed for completion of the project, over the next two years, to have a material effect on its financial position or its results of operations. However, there can be no assurance that the systems of other companies on which the Company's systems rely also will be timely converted or that any such failure to convert by another company would not have an adverse effect on the Company's systems. To date, confirmations have been received from the Company's primary processing vendors that plans are being developed to address processing of transactions in the year 2000. PAGE F6 Independent Auditors' Report The Board of Directors and Stockholders, USFreightways Corporation: We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of USFreightways Corporation and Subsidiaries as of January 3, 1998 and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the year ended January 3, 1998. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of USFreightways Corporation and Subsidiaries as of January 3, 1998 and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the year ended January 3, 1998, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Arthur Andersen LLP Chicago, Illinois January 21, 1998 The Board of Directors and Stockholders, USFreightways Corporation: We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of USFreightways Corporation and Subsidiaries as of December 28, 1996 and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the two years ended December 28, 1996. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of USFreightways Corporation and Subsidiaries as of December 28, 1996 and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the two years ended December 28, 1996, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. KPMG Peat Marwick LLP Chicago, Illinois January 22, 1997. PAGE F7 Consolidated Balance Sheets Years ended January 3, 1998 and December 28, 1996 (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) January 3, December 28, 1998 1996 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Assets Current assets: Cash 6,471 $ 4,090 Accounts receivable, less allowances of $10,067 and $7,186 187,554 157,874 Operating supplies and prepaid expenses 21,176 19,096 Deferred income taxes (note 4) 21,915 22,517 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total current assets 237,116 203,577 Property and equipment: Land 56,542 53,904 Buildings and leasehold improvements 131,543 114,513 Equipment 563,732 486,860 Other 48,892 39,935 800,709 695,212 Less accumulated depreciation (352,394) (299,712) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total property and equipment 448,315 395,500 Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization 104,407 79,559 Other assets 9,697 9,872 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $ 799,535 $ 688,508 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Current bank debt (note 3) $ 650 $ 333 Accounts payable 62,895 41,734 Accrued salaries, wages and benefits 55,166 49,528 Accrued claims and other 61,059 50,442 Income taxes payable 1,944 2,311 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total current liabilities 181,714 144,348 Long-term bank debt, less current maturities (note 3) 15,000 78,000 Notes payable (note 3) 100,000 100,000 Accrued claims and other 58,057 50,303 Deferred income taxes (note 4) 52,564 46,597 407,335 419,248 Stockholders' equity: Cumulative preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share: 20,000,000 shares authorized, none issued - - Common stock, $0.01 par value per share: 80,000,000 shares authorized, 26,080,459 and 22,594,890 issued 265 234 Paid in capital 251,224 180,269 Retained earnings 147,007 100,108 Treasury stock, 463,949 and 844,518 shares (6,296) (11,351) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total stockholders' equity 392,200 269,260 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $ 799,535 $ 688,508 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. PAGE F8 Consolidated Statements of Operations Fiscal years ended January 3, 1998, December 28, 1996 and December 30, 1995 (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Operating revenue $ 1,565,249 $ 1,330,972 $ 1,144,458 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Operating expenses: Salaries, wages and benefits 972,526 847,285 733,441 Other operating expenses 304,772 277,983 233,783 Purchased transportation 84,388 49,412 43,763 Insurance and claims 28,413 22,523 17,556 Depreciation and amortization 70,140 62,591 48,372 USF Red Star restructuring charge (note 8) - 4,050 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total operating expenses 1,460,239 1,263,844 1,076,915 Income from operations 105,010 67,128 67,543 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Non-operating income (expense): Interest expense (8,461) (12,144) (8,884) Interest income 1,038 649 707 Other, net (92) (704) (878) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total non-operating expense (7,515) (12,199) (9,055) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net income before income taxes 97,495 54,929 58,488 Income tax expense (note 4) (40,914) (23,451) (25,150) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net income $ 56,581 $ 31,478 $ 33,338 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Average shares outstanding-basic 25,544,240 22,249,499 21,912,851 Average shares outstanding-diluted 25,830,674 22,451,280 22,122,590 Basic earnings per common share: $ 2.21 $ 1.41 $ 1.52 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Diluted earnings per common share: $ 2.19 $ 1.40 $ 1.51 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. PAGE F9 Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity Fiscal Years ended January 3, 1998, December 28, 1996 and December 30, 1995 (Thousands of dollars) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Common Paid in Retained Treasury Stockholders' Stock Capital Earnings Stock Equity - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Balance January 1, 1995 $ 234 $ 175,287 $ 51,779 $ (19,206) $ 208,094 Net income - - 33,338 - 33,338 Dividends declared - - (8,172) - (8,172) Purchase of common stock - - - (3,921) (3,921) Employee stock transactions and other - 1,091 - 2,722 3,813 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Balance December 30, 1995 234 176,378 76,945 (20,405) 233,152 Net income - - 31,478 - 31,478 Dividends declared - - (8,315) - (8,315) Employee stock transactions and other - 3,891 - 9,054 12,945 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Balance December 28, 1996 234 180,269 100,108 (11,351) 269,260 Net income - - 56,581 - 56,581 Dividends declared - - (9,682) - (9,682) Issuance of common stock 31 69,400 69,431 Employee stock transactions and other - 1,555 - 5,055 6,610 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Balance January 3, 1998 $ 265 $ 251,224 $ 147,007 $ (6,296) $ 392,200 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. PAGE F10 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Fiscal years ended January 3, 1998, December 28, 1996 and December 30, 1995 (Thousands of dollars) Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cash flows from operating activities: Net income from continuing operations $ 56,581 $ 31,478 $ 33,338 Reconciliation to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 70,140 62,591 48,372 Deferred taxes 6,569 3,298 5,216 Changes in assets and liabilities excluding acquisitions: Accounts receivable (29,680) (39,767) (7,752) Other current assets (2,080) 455 (4,298) Accounts payable 21,161 5,525 3,458 Accrued liabilities 23,317 21,923 9,654 Other, net (8,950) 2,096 1,161 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net cash provided by operating activities 137,058 87,599 89,149 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (128,809) (94,057) (116,675) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 12,887 4,246 3,792 Acquisitions (22,756) (31,265) - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net cash used in investing activities (138,678) (121,076) (112,883) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cash flows from financing activities: Dividends paid (9,357) (8,252) (8,172) Purchase of common stock - - (3,921) Net proceeds from sale of common stock 69,431 - - Proceeds from sale of treasury stock 6,610 3,445 3,813 Proceeds from long-term bank debt 15,000 41,000 38,000 Payments on long-term bank debt (77,683) (333) (6,334) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net cash provided by financing activities 4,001 35,860 23,386 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net increase (decrease) in cash 2,381 2,383 (348) Cash at beginning of year 4,090 1,707 2,055 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cash at end of year $ 6,471 $ 4,090 $ 1,707 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid during the year for: Interest $ 8,508 $ 11,715 $ 8,390 Income taxes 32,389 18,105 20,507 Noncash transactions: equity and notes issued in connection with acquisitions $ 4,023 $ 9,500 - See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. PAGE F11 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) 1: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of USFreightways and its wholly owned subsidiaries (the Company). The Company's operations are further discussed in periodic SEC filings. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The Company reports on a 52/53-week fiscal year basis concluding on the Saturday nearest to December 31. The three fiscal years covered in the consolidated financial statements ended on January 3, 1998, December 28, 1996 and December 30, 1995, respectively (Fiscal 1997, 1996 and 1995). Revenue Recognition Transportation revenue is recognized when freight is picked up from the customer, at which time the related estimated expenses of performing the total transportation services are accrued. Cash The Company considers demand deposits and highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less as cash. Property and equipment Purchases of property and equipment are carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over periods ranging from three to ten years for the majority of equipment and 30 years for buildings. Maintenance and repairs are charged to current operations, while expenditures that add to the life of the equipment are capitalized. When revenue equipment is traded, a gain or loss on the trade of the equipment is recognized and netted against depreciation expense. Intangible assets These costs primarily represent goodwill which is amortized on a straight-line basis up to 40 years. The carrying value of goodwill is reviewed whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable through projected undiscounted future operating cash flows. No reduction of the carrying value has been required for any year. Earnings Per Share Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated under guidelines of FASB Statement No. 128. Basic earnings per share are calculated on income available to common stockholders divided by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share are calculated using earnings available to each share of common stock outstanding during the period and to each share that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares for all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Unexercised stock options, calculated under the treasury stock method, is the only reconciling item between the Company's basic and diluted weighted earnings per share. The number of options, included in the denominator, used to calculate diluted earnings per share are 286,434, 201,781 and 209,739 for fiscal years 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively. Use of Estimates Management of the Company has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities to prepare these financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 2: Operating Leases The Company leases certain terminals, vehicles and data processing equipment under long-term lease agreements that expire in various years through 2011. The following is a schedule of future minimum rental payments on leases that have initial or remaining non-cancelable lease terms in excess of one year at January 3, 1998. Fiscal Year Payments - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1998 $ 20,014 1999 14,853 2000 9,045 2001 5,050 2002 2,528 Subsequent years 2,832 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 54,322 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rental expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for fiscal years 1997, 1996 and 1995 was $21,863, $20,396and $19,804, respectively. PAGE F12 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) 3: Long-term Debt Long-term debt at January 3, 1998 and December 28, 1996 consists of the following: January 3, December 28, 1998 1996 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unsecured notes (a) $ 100,000 $ 100,000 Unsecured lines of credit (b) 15,650 78,000 Other 0 333 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 115,650 178,333 Less current maturities 650 333 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 115,000 $ 178,000 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) Unsecured notes of $100,000 are payable on May 1, 2000 and bear interest at 6 5/8%, payable semi-annually. The notes are not subject to redemption prior to maturity and have no sinking fund requirements. Based upon the Company's incremental borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements, the fair value of the notes at January 3, 1998 was approximately $100,000. (b) In November 1997, the Company replaced its existing $160,000 revolving credit facility with a new $200,000 revolving credit facility through a syndicate of commercial banks. The new facility expires in 2002 and allows up to $100,000 for standby letters of credit to cover the Company's self-insurance program, and has optional pricing of interest rates, including LIBOR or Prime base rates. The facility has an annual fee and contains customary financial covenants including maintenance of minimum net worth and funded debt to cash flow. During Fiscal 1997, all borrowings were drawn at LIBOR base rates, with a weighted average interest rate for the year of 5.9%, excluding fees charged on the facility. At January 3, 1998 the Company had borrowed $15,000 and had $47,439 outstanding letters of credit under this facility. In addition to the revolving credit facility, the Company maintains four uncommitted lines of credit, which provide $39,000 short-term funds at rates approximating LIBOR. These facilities are used in concert with a centralized cash management system to finance short-term working capital needs, thereby enabling the Company to maintain minimal cash balances. The aggregate annual maturities of debt at January 3, 1998 are as follows: Fiscal Year Amount - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1998 $ 650 1999 0 2000 100,000 2001 0 2002 15,000 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 115,650 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The company had an interest rate cap contract, which was solely for interest rate protection, that expired in August 1997. PAGE F13 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) 4: Income Taxes A reconciliation of the statutory Federal income tax rate with the effective income tax rate is as follows: Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Federal income tax at statutory rate $ 34,123 $ 19,225 $ 20,471 State income tax 4,489 2,724 3,195 Goodwill amortization 955 823 766 Other 1,347 679 718 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total income tax expense $ 40,914 $ 23,451 $ 25,150 The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows: Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Current expense: Federal $ 28,427 $ 15,610 $ 16,024 State 5,918 4,543 3,910 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34,345 20,153 19,934 Deferred expense: Accelerated depreciation 9,099 8,555 8,499 Allowance for doubtful accounts and revenue adjustments 3,798 (601) (532) Insurance and claims (4,659) (5,036) (1,841) Vacation pay (1,053) 597 (1,111) Other (616) (217) 201 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6,569 3,298 5,216 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total income tax expense $ 40,914 $ 23,451 $ 25,150 The following is a summary of the components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities at January 3, 1998 and December 28, 1996: January 3, December 28, 1998 1996 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deferred tax assets: Allowance for doubtful accounts and revenue adjustments $ 1,027 $ 4,825 Insurance and claims 30,953 26,294 Vacation pay 7,196 6,143 Other 3,872 2,670 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 43,048 $ 39,932 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deferred tax liabilities: Property and equipment, principally due to accelerated depreciation $ 73,697 $ 64,012 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAGE F14 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) 5: Employee Benefit Plans The Company maintains a salary deferral 401(k) plan covering substantially all employees who are not members of a collective bargaining unit and who meet specified service requirements. Contributions are based upon participants' salary deferrals and compensation and are made within Internal Revenue Service limitations. For the fiscal years 1997, 1996 and 1995, Company contributions for these plans were $6,550, $5,715 and $4,876, respectively. The Company does not offer post-employment or post-retirement benefits. The Company contributes to several union-sponsored multi-employer pension plans. These plans are not administered by the Company, and contributions are determined in accordance with provisions of negotiated labor contracts. The Multi-employer Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1980 established a continuing liability to such union-sponsored pension plans for an allocated share of each plan's unfunded vested benefits upon substantial or total withdrawal by the Company or upon termination of the pension plans. To date, no withdrawal or termination has occurred or is contemplated. For the fiscal years 1997, 1996 and 1995, Company contributions for these pension plans were $54,041, $45,094 and $39,428, respectively. 6: Common Stock The Company maintains an employee stock purchase plan which provides for the purchase of an aggregate of not more than 900,000 shares of the Company's common stock. Each eligible employee may designate the amount of regular payroll deductions, subject to a yearly maximum, that is used to purchase shares at 90% of the month-end market price. At January 3, 1998; 493,110 shares had been issued under this plan. The Company maintains stock option plans that provide for the granting of options to key employees and non-employee directors to purchase an aggregate of not more than 3,760,000 shares of the Company's common stock. Stock options issued pursuant to the plans are exercisable for periods up to 10 years from the date an option is granted. At January 3, 1998 there were 1,787,200 shares available for granting under the plans. In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123, the Company applies APB Opinion 25 and related interpretations in accounting for its stock option plans, and accordingly, does not recognize compensation cost. If the Company had elected to recognize compensation cost based on the fair value of the options granted at grant date, as prescribed by SFAS No. 123, net income and earnings per share would have been reduced to the pro forma amounts indicated in the table below: Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income - as reported $ 56,581 $ 31,478 $ 33,338 Net income - pro forma 55,808 31,049 33,163 Basic earnings per share - as reported 2.21 1.41 1.52 Basic earnings per share - pro forma 2.18 1.40 1.51 Diluted earnings per share - as reported 2.19 1.40 1.51 Diluted earnings per share - pro forma 2.16 1.38 1.50 As prescribed under SFAS No. 123, pro forma net income amounts presented above reflect only options granted in 1997, 1996 and 1995 since compensation costs for options granted prior to January 1, 1995 are not considered. Compensation cost for options granted in 1997, 1996 and 1995 is reflected over the options' vesting periods ranging from two to five years. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions used for grants in fiscal years 1997, 1996 and 1995: dividend yield of 1.58% for all years; expected volatility ranging from 35.69% to 37.07%; risk-free interest rates at grant date ranging from 6.07% to 7.46%; and expected lives ranging from 5.69 to 6.40 years. PAGE F15 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) A summary of the status of the Company's stock option plans is presented below: Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Average Average Average Exercise Exercise Exercise Shares Price Shares Price Shares Price - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Outstanding at beginning of year 1,107,250 $ 17.84 758,800 $ 16.21 823,400 $ 15.72 Granted 623,500 29.93 479,000 19.49 58,500 22.80 Exercised (279,520) 14.98 (92,900) 13.65 (79,700) 13.53 Forfeited (15,500) 16.52 (37,650) 16.16 (43,400) 20.47 ______ ______ ______ Outstanding at end of year 1,435,730 23.67 1,107,250 17.84 758,800 16.21 ______ ______ ______ Options exercisable at year end 402,690 17.74 448,220 15.65 399,330 15.19 ______ ______ ______ Weighted-average fair value of options granted during the year $ 11.80 $ 8.18 $ 9.59 The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at January 3, 1998: Outstanding Options Options Exercisable - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Weighted Average Number Remaining Weighted- Number Weighted- Range of Outstanding Contractual Life Average Exercisable Average Estimated Prices at 01/03/98 (years) Exercise Price at 01/03/98 Exercise Price - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $ 13.00 - 15.00 184,350 4.80 $ 13.80 181,350 $ 13.78 18.25 - 19.63 463,000 8.49 19.48 114,300 19.32 22.50 - 24.00 214,880 7.11 23.05 107,040 22.77 25.94 - 32.00 573,500 9.93 30.45 0 0 _______ _______ _______ 1,435,730 8.38 23.67 402,690 17.74 _______ _______ _______ In February, 1994 the Board of Directors approved a stockholder rights plan designed to deter coercive takeover tactics and to prevent an acquirer from gaining control of the Company without offering a fair price to all of the Company's stockholders. At that time, the Company declared a distribution of one right for each share of common stock outstanding (effected as a stock dividend) to stockholders of record as of February 11, 1994 and generally to shares issuable after that date. Each right entitles holders to buy one-hundredth (1/100) of a share of the Company's newly designated Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share, for a purchase price of $110.00. Each right is exercisable ten days after the acquisition of 15% or more of the Company's voting stock, or the commencement of a tender or exchange offer under which the offeror would own 19.9% or more of the Company's stock. In the event of a proposed takeover meeting certain additional conditions, the rights could be exercised by all holders other than the takeover bidder at an exercise price of half of the current market price of the Company's common stock. This would have the effect of significantly diluting the holdings of the takeover bidder. These rights expire on February 3, 2004. In February 1997, the Company sold 3,105,000 of its shares in a public offering. The net proceeds from the sale, amounting to approximately $69,000,000, were initially used to repay outstanding debt under the Company' revolving credit facility. PAGE F16 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) 7: Commitments and Contingencies The Company is routinely involved in a number of legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business, primarily involving claims for bodily injury and property damage incurred in the transportation of freight. The estimated liability for claims included in liabilities, both current and long-term, reflects the estimated ultimate cost of self-insured claims incurred, but not paid, for bodily injury, property damage, cargo loss and damage, and workers' compensation. In the opinion of management, the outcome of these matters is not expected to have any material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or results of operations of the Company and have been adequately provided for in the financial statements. At January 3, 1998, the Company had capital purchase commitments of approximately $12,778 for land and improvements, $30,671 for transportation equipment, and $679 for other equipment. 8: Restructuring Charge During the fourth quarter 1996, management authorized a restructuring charge at its USF Red Star subsidiary. The pre-tax restructuring charge of $4,050 relates primarily to ongoing lease commitments for terminals no longer occupied and severance paid in connection with the reduction of personnel. The Company anticipates that no additional charges against its future operations will be incurred as a result of this restructuring charge. 9: Acquisitions During 1997, under the purchase method of accounting, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of USF Seko Worldwide Inc., an airfreight forwarding company and the general commodities business of Mercury Distribution Carriers, Inc. for an aggregate amount of $26,779 of cash and debt incurred. During 1996, under the purchase method of accounting, the Company acquired all the outstanding shares of Interamerican, a contract warehousing company and the general commodities business of Transus for an aggregate amount of $40,765 of cash and equity issued. 10: Business Segments The Company has elected to adopt early SFAS No. 131 "Disclosures About Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information". The Company has seven reportable segments: LTL trucking group (five regional carriers), logistics and freight forwarding. The LTL trucking group provides overnight and second-day delivery of general commodities throughout the United States and into Canada. The Company's logistics subsidiaries provide solutions to customers' logistics and distribution requirements. The Company's freight forwarding subsidiaries provide domestic and international air and ocean freight service through both exclusive and non-exclusive agents. The reportable segments are managed separately because each business has differing customer requirements, either as a result of the regional environment of the country or differences in products and services offered. The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies. Intangible assets are included in each segment's reportable assets, but the amortization of these intangible assets is not included in the determination of a segment's operating profit or loss. The Company evaluates performance based on profit or loss from operations before income taxes, interest, amortization of intangibles and other non-operating income (expenses). PAGE F17 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Revenue LTL Group: USF Holland $ 711,137 $ 595,378 $ 527,371 USF Reddaway 198,714 177,998 163,506 USF Red Star 194,823 196,399 200,674 USF Dugan 170,962 148,527 76,459 USF Bestway 133,450 113,058 107,646 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub total LTL Group 1,409,086 1,231,360 1,075,656 Logistics subsidiaries 106,299 85,601 64,093 Freight forwarding 44,340 8,400 4,639 Corporate and other 5,524 5,611 70 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Revenue $ 1,565,249 $ 1,330,972 $ 1,144,458 Income From Operations LTL Group: USF Holland $ 65,244 $ 51,362 $ 43,684 USF Reddaway 13,457 9,262 11,019 USF Red Star 871 (7,999) (2,137) USF Dugan 6,145 3,237 5,239 USF Bestway 17,433 12,014 10,102 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub total LTL Group 103,150 67,876 67,907 Logistics subsidiaries 6,414 2,655 3,010 Freight forwarding 1,289 33 (33) Corporate and other (2,936) (959) (758) Amortization of intangibles (2,907) (2,477) (2,583) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Income from Operations $ 105,010 $ 67,128 $ 67,543 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Assets LTL Group: USF Holland $ 276,810 $ 232,003 $ 207,737 USF Reddaway 108,979 104,608 87,181 USF Red Star 137,336 133,014 139,896 USF Dugan 93,737 86,849 46,631 USF Bestway 64,266 54,287 53,535 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub total LTL Group 681,128 610,761 534,980 Logistics subsidiaries 59,458 62,753 33,767 Freight forwarding 52,232 2,080 1,102 Corporate and other 6,717 12,914 8,345 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Assets $ 799,535 $ 688,508 $ 578,194 PAGE F18 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts) Fiscal Year 1997 1996 1995 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Long Lived Asset Expenditures LTL Group: USF Holland $ 66,637 $ 43,504 $ 49,252 USF Reddaway 19,421 14,865 15,799 USF Red Star 10,439 1,755 19,075 USF Dugan 18,134 9,070 11,338 USF Bestway 8,463 6,978 2,854 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub total LTL Group 123,094 76,172 98,318 Logistics subsidiaries 4,799 13,573 10,025 Freight forwarding 280 107 123 Corporate and other 636 4,205 8,209 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Long Lived Asset Expenditures $ 128,809 $ 94,057 $ 116,675 Depreciation Expense LTL Group: USF Holland $ 28,704 $ 23,063 $ 19,005 USF Reddaway 10,280 8,588 7,617 USF Red Star 7,262 7,829 7,521 USF Dugan 9,919 10,213 5,129 USF Bestway 5,054 4,658 4,568 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub total LTL Group 61,219 54,351 43,840 Logistics subsidiaries 5,870 4,760 3,446 Freight forwarding 278 66 30 Corporate and other 1,825 2,220 431 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Depreciation Expense $ 69,192 $ 61,397 $ 47,747 PAGE F19 11: Quarterly Financial Information (unaudited) Quarters First Second Third Fourth Total Year - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fiscal 1997: Operating revenue $ 355,817 $ 380,763 $ 393,462 $ 435,207 $ 1,565,249 Income from operations 19,071 26,915 31,905 27,119 105,010 Net income 9,750 14,541 17,542 14,748 56,581 Net income per share-basic 0.40 0.56 0.68 0.57 2.21 Net income per share-diluted 0.40 0.56 0.67 0.56 2.19 Dividends declared per share 0.0933 0.0933 0.0933 0.0933 .3733 Market price per share (calendar quarter) 22.87 - 28.00 23.12 - 29.00 25.75 - 34.50 29.37 - 36.75 22.87 - 36.75 Fiscal 1996: Operating revenue $ 313,705 $ 332,089 $ 343,203 $ 341,975 $ 1,330,972 Income from operations 10,412 17,231 22,528 16,957 67,128 Net income 4,349 8,137 11,024 7,968 31,478 Net income per share-basic 0.20 0.37 0.49 0.35 1.41 Net income per share-diluted 0.20 0.37 0.48 0.35 1.40 Dividends declared per share 0.0933 0.0933 0.0933 0.0933 .3733 Market price per share (calendar quarter) 18.25 - 23.25 19.37 - 24.25 16.75 - 22.50 19.50 - 28.25 16.75 - 28.25 PAGE F20 STATISTICAL INFORMATION Operating Operating LTL Tons LTL Terminals Tractors Trailers Employees Revenue Ratio Shipments YR. (million) (thousands) (thousands) __ _________ _________ ___________ ___________ _________ ________ ________ _________ Holland 97 $711.1 90.8% 3,826.9 6,163.6 51 3,448 5,998 7,322 96 595.4 91.4 3,291.2 5,347.3 48 2,751 5,265 6,167 Red Star 97 $194.8 99.6% 898.0 1,887.4 26 1,007 2,190 2,108 96 196.4 104.1 940.1 1,968.1 26 925 2,132 2,254 Reddaway 97 $198.7 93.2% 835.1 1,741.9 55 1,064 2,781 2,369 96 178.0 94.8 751.2 1,585.3 55 938 2,519 2,225 Bestway 97 $133.5 86.9% 630.8 1,211.1 26 590 2,142 1,439 96 113.1 89.4 545.7 1,027.4 25 548 1,785 1,271 Dugan 97 $171.0 96.4% 877.4 1,642.3 59 961 2,924 2,056 96 148.5 97.8 777.1 1,471.9 57 818 2,504 1,923 Logistics 97 $106.3 94.0% NA NA NA 491 1,163 1,534 96 85.6 96.9 NA NA NA 431 1,091 1,256 Seko 97 $ 31.8 96.5% NA NA NA NA NA 148