Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ:WERN) executives Derek Leathers, CEO, and Chris Wikoff discussed the company’s strategy and market outlook in a recent conference appearance, highlighting the planned acquisition of FirstFleet, shifting shipper preferences toward more structured supply chains, and what management sees as a supply-driven inflection in the truckload cycle.
FirstFleet acquisition: expanding “pure-play” dedicated
Leathers said Werner’s interest in FirstFleet was immediate once the asset became available, describing it as a rare opportunity to acquire a “pure-play dedicated company.” He emphasized the scale and structure of the business, noting FirstFleet has roughly 2,400 trucks and 10,000 trailers that are “100% dedicated” and supported by long-standing customer relationships.
Leathers framed a major strategic rationale as cross-selling: FirstFleet historically “sold one product” into deep customer relationships, and Werner expects to bring a broader portfolio to those accounts after closing.
Dedicated demand and margin profile
In discussing why dedicated service is increasingly important to shippers, Leathers said supply chains are becoming more time-sensitive as consumer expectations shift from two-day delivery toward same-day or even hour-level delivery windows. He said dedicated fleets play a major role in adding structure for use cases such as store deliveries, middle mile, and final mile.
He characterized dedicated as “resilient,” particularly because much of the work is “driver-involved,” with drivers participating in customer-specific activities beyond simply moving freight. According to Leathers, that operational integration supports decades-long customer relationships.
Addressing concerns that dedicated can dilute returns, Leathers said Werner’s experience shows dedicated outperforms one-way in “eight out of 10 years,” and that in most of those years it outperforms “significantly.” He also argued that dedicated can still provide operating leverage, citing more consistent backhaul utilization, higher-margin fleet add-ons within existing accounts, and customer migration toward dedicated as a “safe haven” during uncertain markets.
Leathers added that Werner recently completed “painful but necessary restructuring” in its one-way business, leaving that unit “leaner” but better positioned to capitalize on a market inflection over the next several quarters.
Industry cycle: supply-driven tightening and enforcement
On the trucking cycle, Leathers said the current inflection has been “supply-driven” so far, pointing to increased enforcement activity and continued carrier attrition after what he described as a “really, really tough 2-3-year period.” He said recent weeks have included frequent reports of regional and mid-tier carriers filing for bankruptcy, removing additional capacity.
He also cited enforcement expansion into driver training schools and electronic logging compliance as further capacity constraints. Leathers referenced 7,000 schools being put on notice out of a population of about 17,000, and said some schools had been operating without owning trucks. He also pointed to uncertainty at truck OEMs—driven by layoffs, shifting engine and EPA requirements, and unresolved issues such as warranty and right-to-repair—as a factor that may limit how quickly new truck supply can ramp.
When asked about the magnitude of potential supply impact, Leathers said a 5% effect would not be a stretch but argued it may be low, initially noting that 5% had been discussed in relation to English language proficiency enforcement alone. He said additional factors—such as issues related to non-domiciled CDLs, training school enforcement, and electronic logging—could deepen the effect.
Leathers said spot rates were up about 25% year over year, which he characterized as closer to where rates need to be for carriers to reinvest, while noting it was still too early to determine whether that is “the end of it or the beginning.”
Demand indicators, shipper behavior, and rate expectations
While emphasizing supply as the primary driver so far, Leathers said demand could add “fuel to the fire,” citing inventory levels he said are back to pre-COVID levels or lower, improving inflation data, potential interest rate cuts, and early signs of housing market improvement. He also said Werner’s retail customers are “doing well” and pushing volumes, adding that Werner focuses on freight volumes rather than customers’ stock prices.
Leathers described shipper attitudes as mixed. He said more sophisticated retailers tend to value supply chain performance and can be firm negotiators but will “pay you every penny you’ve earned.” Others, he said, believe they can “cut their way to profitability,” even when their core issues lie elsewhere.
On annual pricing, management said it believes “mid-single-digit” rate increases are supportable this year. Leathers argued the industry needs a multi-year repair cycle, pointing to the mismatch between trucking costs and rates and noting the broader publicly traded truckload group has operated at very low margins in recent years.
Technology, EDGE rollout, and early AI use cases
Wikoff provided an update on Werner’s technology transformation, saying the company is in the “later innings” of rolling out its EDGE transportation management system (TMS). He said the goal is end-to-end visibility across asset-based and asset-light freight so the company can make faster decisions and develop solutions that optimize the network for customers.
On artificial intelligence, Wikoff said Werner is seeing proof points today but expects larger benefits once operational data is centralized on a single platform. He cited current AI-related use cases including:
- Optimizing freight selection
- Improving shipper-carrier matching in brokerage
- Enhancing preventive and predictive maintenance processes
- Improving warranty claim processing and reimbursement outcomes
Asked about cost pressures, Wikoff said inflation has moderated but remains in pockets such as insurance, employee benefits, tariffs, equipment, and parts. He said Werner has focused on “cost discipline” and structural efficiencies, stating the company identified more than $150 million in cost savings over the last three years. He also noted that in connection with the FirstFleet acquisition, Werner has identified $18 million of cost synergies it has a “high degree of confidence” it can achieve over roughly the next 18 months.
Looking ahead, Leathers said the company sees a favorable setup combining further cost reductions and rate relief, with the potential to expand margins in 2026, while emphasizing that industry repair will take “several bites” over multiple years and that supply-side enforcement remains in the “middle innings.”
About Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ:WERN)
Werner Enterprises, Inc, founded in 1956 by Clarence L. “Chris” Werner, is a leading transportation and logistics provider based in Omaha, Nebraska. The company began as a one‐truck operation and has since grown into one of North America’s largest carriers, offering an array of services to support diverse supply chains.
Werner’s core business activities include full truckload dry van services, dedicated contract carriage, intermodal transport and brokerage solutions. The company also provides value-added services such as warehousing, freight management and fleet maintenance through its network of terminals and service centers.
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