2021 outlook

Class I railroads outline 2021 projections, February weather impacts

A photograph of a Union Pacific facility at an industrial facility.

All of the publicly traded Class I railroads presented at investment bank JP Morgan’s industrial conference last week. Here are some themes expressed through the multiday event:

Weather dents February’s rail volumes and could impact first-quarter results

When the Class I railroads reported their fourth-quarter earnings results in January, they anticipated favorable volume expectations for 2021.

That outlook hasn’t changed for most, given rail volumes in January and March, but the severe weather...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/class-i-railroads-outline-2021-projections-february-weather-impacts

U.S. Xpress sees current fundamentals lasting well into 2021

U.S. Xpress 2021 outlook calls for more of the same

U.S. Xpress’ (NYSE: USX) 2021 economic outlook, released Wednesday, sees many of the same fundamentals that were in place during the second half of 2020 sticking around through at least the third quarter.

“Freight markets (and the overall economy) have moved in a manner consistent with our expectations. Driver shortages, capacity crunches, and ample freight (driven by evolutions in buying habits) were the common themes of 2020. By and large, 2021 looks to offer more of the same.”

The Chattanooga,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-xpress-sees-current-fundamentals-lasting-well-into-2021

UBS 2021 outlook calls for healthy freight flows in first half

UBS sees the most upside in shares of FedEx and UPS

UBS (NYSE: UBS) freight transportation analyst Tom Wadewitz sees a favorable freight setup in the first half of 2021. His expectations for the year were laid out on a conference call with clients Thursday reviewing his outlook report published earlier in the day.

The call is for “a combination of rising growth in freight activity plus strong pricing to support strong EPS performance and upside for the transport group in 2021.” He believes the stocks with the most upside are FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/ubs-2021-outlook-calls-for-healthy-freight-flows-in-first-half

Commentary: Really bad logistics predictions for 2021

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

If 2020 has proved anything, it is that everyone is really bad at predicting things. Who could have guessed what was ahead when we set out last January, bright-eyed and optimistic about our resolutions and the continuation of trends we’d seen develop over the previous year? These past 12 months have taught us that the only thing for certain is uncertainty.

Call me...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-really-bad-logistics-predictions-for-2021

2021 trucking outlook comes into focus

Analysts call their shots for trucking in 2021

Several analysts have published transportation outlook reports for 2021 that are calling for continued strength in the trucking markets. Some are expecting the favorable truckload fundamentals that were in place in the back half of 2020 to continue unchanged though 2021. However, others believe the TL trade has grown long in the tooth and are pivoting to a more meaningful industrial recovery, which supports an improving freight environment for less-than-truckload carriers and the railroads.

Poten...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/2021-trucking-outlook-comes-into-focus

White Paper: Manufacturing Outlook Proves Resilient Despite Uncertainty

The manufacturing sector struggled through the first half of 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic sending supply and demand on a seemingly nonstop roller-coaster ride and states issuing lockdowns that all but halted production in the spring. Lockdowns have now eased up, and many people have stopped hoarding toilet paper in favor of somewhat more typical buying habits. As a result, there is a nascent industrial recovery happening in the U.S.

FreightWaves partnered with Redwood Logistics to assess...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/white-paper-manufacturing-outlook-proves-resilient-despite-uncertainty

Moody’s views US freight rail as ‘stable’ in 2021

A photograph of a Union Pacific train hauling intermodal containers.

Moody’s Investor Services has upgraded its outlook for the North American rail industry from negative to stable amid expectations that rail volumes will continue to grow in 2021.

Moody’s expects volumes for most types of freight to grow over the next 12 to 18 months, with intermodal shipments rising at “a mid-single-digit pace,” the bond credit rating firm said Friday.

That intermodal growth will be driven by several factors, including Moody’s expectations for consumer spending and currently low...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/moodys-views-us-freight-rail-as-stable-in-2021

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