At its core, J.B. Hunt is an intermodal marketing company; it contracts with the Class I railroads for the line-haul movement of its domestic containers. It was one of the first for-hire truckload carriers to venture into intermodal shipping, forming a partnership with BNSF Railway in the West in 1990, followed by an agreement with Norfolk Southern in the East. Hunt has established a definitive leadership position in intermodal shipping, with a 20%-plus share of an approximate $25 billion industry. The next-largest competitor is Hub Group, followed by the intermodal divisions of Schneider National, STG Logistics, and Knight Swift. Intermodal makes up around 48% of Hunt's total revenue.
JB Hunt's Intermodal Rate Pressures Linger, but Progress Likely in the Year Ahead
By Matthew Young
From Morningstar