Why Swift Transportation's Shares Jumped

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of trucking company Swift Transportation jumped 27% today after reporting fourth-quarter earnings.

So what: Revenue rose 7% in the quarter to $922.6 million, beating estimates of $885 million. On the bottom line, net income jumped 27% to $46.9 million, or $0.34 per share. After one-time items, the company earned $0.38 per share, well above the $0.26 number analysts expected.

Now what: A 9.8% jump in weekly revenue per tractor helped drive results and shows just how strong the core business is right now. After the big jump in earnings, shares are trading at only 13 times trailing results, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a jump in estimates going forward. I'd like to see shares pull back a little to get a better deal, but I think the stock will rise long-term on the strength in the trucking market.

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The article Why Swift Transportation's Shares Jumped originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow Travis on Twitter at @FlushDrawFool, check out his personal stock holdings, or follow his CAPS picks at TMFFlushDraw. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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