Marten Transport (NASDAQ: MRTN) reported Q1 EPS of $0.25, $0.01 better than the analyst estimate of $0.24. Revenue for the quarter came in at $199 million versus the consensus estimate of $201.1 million.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Randolph L. Marten said, “We are pleased to report our continued strong top- and bottom-line results for this quarter, which produced our best-ever first-quarter operating revenue, operating income and net income. Our 30.4% year-over-year improvement in operating income for the first quarter consistently furthers our 31.8% operating income increase in the last twelve months. We expect to see strong demand throughout 2019 for our premium services with our diversified base of over 650 customers. We added 65 Truckload and 51 Dedicated tractors during the first quarter, and we expect to build on this success in recruiting and retaining the industry’s top, experienced drivers to increase our capacity to service our existing and new customers. In addition, we enhanced our balance sheet position with $85.5 million in cash at March 31, 2019, up from $56.8 million at the beginning of the year.”

“A number of our customer agreements included a shift beginning mid-first quarter last year from line haul to fuel surcharge revenue, which reduced our Dedicated and Truckload revenue excluding fuel surcharges by $2.9 million and $782,000, respectively, for this year’s first quarter, and by $1.4 million and $282,000, respectively, for the first quarter of 2018. Our fuel surcharge revenue increased in both periods by the same amounts.”

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Marten Transport (MRTN) click here.