Does J.B. Hunt's Q4 Earnings Beat Justify a Buy Decision Today?

On Jan. 15, 2026, J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) reported mixed fourth-quarter 2025 earnings wherein the company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues missed the consensus mark.

JBHT is the second S&P 500 member from the broader Zacks Transportation sector to report fourth-quarter 2025 results, with Delta Air Lines (DAL) being the first one to have reported its results on Jan. 13, 2026.

The mixed results naturally raise the question: Should investors buy, hold, or sell JBHT stock now? A more in-depth analysis is needed to make that determination. Before diving into JBHT’s investment prospects, let’s take a glance at its quarterly numbers.

Highlights of JBHT’s Q4 Earnings

J.B. Huntreported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings of $1.90 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.81 and improved 24.2% year over year.

Total operating revenues of $3.09 billion lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.12 billion and decreased 1.6% year over year. JBHT’s fourth-quarter revenue performance was hurt by a 2% and 4% decline in revenue per load excluding fuel surcharge revenue in Intermodal (JBI) and Truckload (JBT), respectively, a 1% decrease in average trucks in Dedicated Contract Services (DCS), and a 7% and 2% decline in load volume in Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS) and JBI, respectively. The decline in revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue, was partially offset by a 15% increase in volume in JBT, a 1% increase in productivity, excluding fuel surcharge revenue, in DCS, and an increase in revenue per load in ICS. Total operating revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue, decreased 2% year over year.

Fourth-quarter earnings beat enabled the airline to maintain its excellent earnings surprise record. JBHT has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the past four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter), with an average of 6.05%.

JBHT’s Strong Price Performance

Shares of J.B. Hunt have performed handsomely over the past six months, outperforming the transportation-truck industry and the S&P 500 Index (of which the company is a key member). Moreover, JBHT's price performance compares favorably with that of another industry player like Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX) in the same timeframe.

JBHT Stock’s Six-Month Price Comparison

Attractive Valuation Picture Adds to JBHT’s Luster

JBHT stock looks highly attractive from a valuation standpoint. Considering the forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio (P/E-F12M), JBHT has a forward 12-month P/S-F12M of 28.15X compared with 30.18X for the industry.

JBHT P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months) Vs. Industry

Headwind Weighing on JBHT Stock

J.B. Hunt’s weak cash position is worrisome. JBHT's cash and cash equivalents stood at $17.28 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, much lower than the short-term debt of $766.93 million. This implies that the company does not have sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations. JBHT’s current ratio (a measure of liquidity) at the end of third-quarter 2025 was 0.83. A current ratio of less than 1 indicates that a company may have problems paying off its short-term obligations.

Final Thoughts

For long-term investors, a single quarter’s performance is less critical than the company’s underlying fundamentals. While J.B. Hunt delivered solid fourth-quarter results on the earnings side, potential investors should exercise caution and avoid rushing to buy, given the challenges the company faces. It is advisable to monitor JBHT’s progress and wait for a more favorable entry point. Existing shareholders, however, can consider maintaining their positions, as the stock’s long-term prospects remain solid. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) further reinforces this cautious outlook.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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