One major economic trend of the past several months has been supply chain constraints including logistics issues. Now in the throes of earnings season, earnings of companies related to supply chains and logistics (whether that be people or parcels) are beginning to roll in with four such names reporting in the past day alone: Kansas City Southern (KSU), United Airlines (UAL), Marten Transport (MRTN), and Knight-Swift Transportation (KNX).In the table below, we show all the S&P 1500 Transportation Industry stocks that have reported since late September. Most of these stocks have beaten estimates on the top and bottom line with a few exceptions. While it is the one furthest in the rearview now, FedEx (FDX) was perhaps the worst of these missing EPS estimates and lowering guidance. KNX, on the other hand, reported a triple play this morning; one of the first companies to do so thus far in earnings season.

Two more transportation names, CSX (CSX) and Landstar System (LSTR) are also set to report earnings after the closing bell today, and over a dozen other names will follow up in the next week alone. These names could potentially be interesting areas to look for anecdotes regarding broader supply chain issues pressuring the economy, but turning to the stock price reactions, Saia (SAIA) has averaged the largest single-day gain on earnings averaging a 2.5% move across its 60 past earnings reports. Old Dominion (ODFL), Echo Global Logistics (ECHO), Hub Group (HUBG), and XPO Logistics (XPO) are the only others that have averaged greater than 1% gains in reaction to earnings. C.H. Robinson (CHRW) and Avis Budget (CAR), on the other hand, have historically averaged the worst reactions to earnings of this industry.

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While there are still plenty of companies within the industry left to report providing plenty of catalysts for moves, since the closing low on September 30th, the transports have seen solid performance with an 8.79% gain through today. That move has not only lifted the industry above its 50 and 200-DMAs but it has also broken the downtrend that has been in place since the spring. Currently, the group is still down 6.1% from its 52-week high.