Ryder System Q4 Profit Meets Estimates; Sees Q1, 2015 Earnings Below View

(RTTNews) - Ryder System, Inc. (R), a provider of transportation and supply chain management solutions, reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $11.3 million or $0.21 per share, down from $64.6 million or $1.22 per share in the year-ago period.

Comparable earnings from continuing operations for the quarter were $1.60 per share, compared to $1.35 per share in the year-ago period. On average, 15 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $1.60 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Quarterly revenues rose 2 percent to $1.66 billion from $1.62 billion a year ago. Analysts expected revenue of $1.68 billion.

Looking ahead to the first quarter, Ryder forecast comparable earnings of $0.95 to $1.00 per share, compared to $0.92 per share in the year-ago period. Street expects the company to earn $1.14 per share for the quarter.

For fiscal 2015, Ryder forecast comparable earnings in a range of $6.25 to $6.40 per share, compared to $5.58 per share for 2014. The company projects total revenue for the full-year to increase 3 percent to about $6.84 billion.

Analysts expect the company to report earnings of $6.47 per share for the year on revenues of $6.99 billion.