Quarterlytics / Industrials / Trucking / Marten Transport, Ltd. / FY2023 Annual Report

Marten Transport, Ltd.
Annual Report 2023

MRTN · NASDAQ Industrials
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Ticker MRTN
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Industrials
Industry Trucking
Employees 3776
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FY2023 Annual Report · Marten Transport, Ltd.
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MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD. 
2023 Annual Report

Who We Are

Marten  Transport,  Ltd .,  with  headquarters  in  Mondovi, 
Wisconsin,  strives  to  be  the  premier  supplier  of  time  and 
temperature-sensitive  and  dry  transportation  and  distribution 
services to customers in the United States, Mexico and Canada . 
Our multifaceted business offers a network of truck-based trans-
portation capabilities across our five distinct business platforms .

Truckload  –  regional  and  over-the-road  fleets,  both  tempera-
ture-controlled and dry van, operating from Marten’s 15 region-
al operating centers .

Dedicated  –  customized  solutions  tailored  to  each  individual 
customer’s  requirements  utilizing  refrigerated  trailers,  dry  vans 
and other specialized equipment .

Intermodal – refrigerated COFC (container on flatcar) services 
providing  the  economies  and  energy  efficiencies  of  long-haul 
rail  transportation  with  extended  door-to-door  support  from 
Marten’s truck network .

Brokerage – surge flexibility to supplement Marten’s capabili-
ties through temperature-controlled and dry van services provid-
ed by smaller third-party carriers .

MRTN  de  México  –  industry-leading  door-to-door  tempera-
ture-controlled and dry van services between Mexico, the United 
States and Canada utilizing our Mexican partner carriers within 
Mexico .

We will accomplish our mission by exceeding the expectations 
of our customers, employees, stockholders and society . We serve 
customers  with  demanding  delivery  deadlines,  as  well  as  those 
who  ship  products  requiring  modern  temperature-controlled 
trailers and containers to protect goods .

Founded in 1946, we have been a public company since 1986 .  
Our  common  stock  trades  on  the  NASDAQ  Global  Select 
Market under the symbol MRTN . At December 31, 2023, we 
employed 4,213 people, including drivers, office personnel and 
mechanics .

Five-Year Financial Summary

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) 

2023 

2022 

2021 

2020 

2019

For the Year
Operating revenue .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $ 1,131,455 
  90,110  
Operating income .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  
  70,373  
Net income  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
Operating ratio(1)  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
Operating ratio, net of fuel surcharges(2)  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

92.0% 
90.7% 

$ 1,263,878 
  143,344 
  110,354 

$ 973,644 
  111,689 
85,428 

$ 874,374 
  93,246 
  69,500 

$ 843,271
  76,498  
  61,071 

88 .7% 
86 .4% 

88 .5%   
87 .0%    

89 .3% 
88 .2% 

90 .9% 
89 .7% 

Years ended December 31, 

Per-Share Data(3) 
Basic earnings per common share  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  $ 
Diluted earnings per common share  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    
Dividends declared per common share  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    
Book value  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

0.87 
  0.86 
0.24 
9.31 

$ 

1 .35 
1 .35 
0 .24 
8 .68 

$ 

$ 

1 .03  
1 .02 
0 .66 
7 .85 

$ 

0 .84 
0 .84 
0 .633 
7 .50 

0 .75
0 .74
0 .513
7 .28

At Year End
Total assets  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
Long-term debt  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  
Stockholders’ equity  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

  $  990,339 
– 
 757,386 

$   965,679 
– 
  703,919 

$  870,690   $  831,636  $ 796,586

– 
  651,677  

– 
620,333 

–   
597,589 

(1) Represents operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenue .

(2)  Represents operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenue, with both amounts net of fuel surcharges . 

(3)  The amounts for 2019 have been restated to reflect the three-for-two stock split effected in the form of a 50% stock dividend on August 13, 2020 .

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
   
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
To Our Stockholders and Employees

Along with the entire trucking industry, Marten Transport 
was  severely  pressured  by  an  unprecedented  freight  reces-
sion in 2023—quarter after quarter of a national decline in 
freight volume amid inflationary operating costs . Shipping 
rates plummeted to unacceptable levels, thoroughly disrupt-
ing established freight networks .

No  carrier  is  immune  to  market  forces  of  this  depth  and 
duration—the most severe down cycle in Marten’s 78-year 
history . But Marten proved more resistant than most . Just 
as  the  diversity  and  flexibility  of  our  business  model  were 
the keys to our double-digit profit growth in each of 2018 
through 2022 (excluding a deferred income taxes benefit in 
2017), they provided the operational agility needed to min-
imize the overall hit to our profitability in 2023’s freight and 
rate recession/cost inflation environment .

2023 Financial Results

Operating revenue was $1 .131 billion for 2023, compared 
with 2022’s record $1 .264 billion . Excluding fuel surcharg-
es,  operating  revenue  was  $972 .0  million  for  2023,  com-
pared with $1 .053 billion for 2022 . Fuel surcharge revenue 
declined to $159 .4 million from $210 .4 million for 2022 .

Operating  income  was  $90 .1  million  for  2023,  compared 
with  2022’s  record  $143 .3  million .  Our  2023  operating 
ratio (operating expenses as a percentage of operating reve-
nue) was 92 .0% versus 88 .7% for 2022 . Excluding fuel sur-
charges, the ratio was 90 .7% for 2023 and 86 .4% for 2022 .  

Net  income  for  2023  was  $70 .4  million,  or  86  cents  per 
diluted share, compared with $110 .4 million, or $1 .35 per 
diluted share, for 2022 .

Playing Defense

The  Marten  business  model  is  unique  in  our  industry—
regional  in  structure,  national  in  scope,  international  in 
reach .  And  multifaceted .  It  has  guided  our  transition  into 
five  distinct  but  complementary  business  platforms  oper-
ating  across  15  regional  centers:  Truckload,  Dedicated, 
Intermodal,  Brokerage  and  MRTN  de  México .  Together 
they  form  a  network  of  premium  truck-based  capabilities 
aimed at providing the best, most-efficient service solutions 
for  our  customers .  Their  collaborative  flexibility  offers  the 
kind  of  agility  that  is  particularly  valuable  in  covering  the 
fast-changing needs of our customers . 

In the hands of an experienced and dedicated national team, 
the Marten model kept us on the offensive since 2010, cre-
ating and capitalizing on opportunities for profitable growth 
regardless of market conditions, and capping that run with 
best-ever results in virtually every key performance category 
in 2022 . But 2023’s punishing freight recession has required 
us to play defense—to use our operating strengths to mini-
mize the impact of threats such as industry rate declines that 
reached levels too low to cover costs .

We  continue  to  work  through  these  challenges  without 
compromising  on  the  value  of  our  premium  services—a 
decision made with confidence in the disciplined manage-
ment  of  our  freight  base  and  our  established  position  and 
prospects for profitable growth over the long term . We have 
not agreed to any rate reductions since last August .

Each  of  our  five  business  platforms  continues  to  play  an 
important role in the implementation of Marten’s strategic 
vision  and  plan,  both  individually  and  through  collabora-
tive interaction . Each is positioned to capitalize on growth 
opportunities  as  the  market  moves  beyond  the  freight 
recession . 

Truckload  –  For  2023,  Truckload  revenue  was  $465 .5 
million versus $500 .5 million for 2022 . Excluding fuel sur-
charges, Truckload revenue was $395 .6 million, compared 
with $411 .4 million for 2022 . Operating income was $24 .8 
million for 2023, down from $59 .4 million for 2022 . The 
2023 Truckload operating ratio was 94 .7%, and the operat-
ing ratio, net of fuel surcharges, was 93 .7% . 

Dedicated  –  Dedicated  revenue  was  $408 .3  million  for 
2023, compared with $429 .1 million for 2022 . Excluding 
fuel  surcharges,  2023  Dedicated  revenue  was  $335 .0  mil-
lion, slightly down from $337 .0 million for 2022 . Operating 
income  was  $48 .4  million,  compared  with  $50 .6  million 
for 2022 . The 2023 Dedicated operating ratio was 88 .2%, 
unchanged from 2022, and the operating ratio, net of fuel 
surcharges, was 85 .6% .  

Intermodal – Intermodal revenue declined to $92 .1 million 
from $129 .8 million for 2022, reflecting the reduced indus-
try demand for intermodal given the much lower truckload 
rates .  Excluding  fuel  surcharges,  2023  Intermodal  revenue 
was $75 .9 million, compared with $100 .5 million for 2022 . 
We had an operating loss of $156,000 in 2023, compared 
with operating income of $10 .6 million for 2022 . The 2023 
Intermodal  operating  ratio  was  100 .2%,  both  before  and 
after fuel surcharges .

MARTEN TRANSPORT 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Brokerage  –  Brokerage  revenue  was  $165 .6  million  for 
2023 versus $204 .6 million for 2022 . Brokerage operating 
income  was  $17 .1  million,  compared  with  $22 .7  million 
for 2022 . The 2023 Brokerage operating ratio was 89 .7% .

MRTN  de  México  –  Operating  profitably  within  our 
Truckload  and  Brokerage  segments,  MRTN  de  México 
contributed $79 .2 million in operating revenue, excluding 
fuel surcharges, in 2023 . This business offers our customers 
door-to-door  temperature-controlled  and  dry  van  ser-
vice  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico  utilizing  our 
Mexican partner carriers within Mexico . 

Working Smart

Marten  people  worked  smart  and  hard  to  maneuver  us 
through  the  disruption  of  our  freight  network  resulting 
from  the  loss  of  freight  to  carriers  willing  to  handle  it 
unprofitably . To counter unacceptable rate reductions, we 
moved to add customers by adding a half dozen new sales 
team members drawn internally from our operations staff . 
While something of a contrarian approach in a down mar-
ket, it worked . We added 223 shipper codes from 107 new 
customers . 

The flexibility of our Brokerage segment proved especially 
valuable in 2023 . While Brokerage revenue was down after 
increases of 40 .8% and 50 .2% the previous two years, the 
load  count  held  up  relatively  well  through  the  growth  of 
both  our  dry  van  and  non-dedicated  loads .  We  focused 
on  increasing  our  volume  of  non-dedicated  and  dry  van 
freight in response to the rate-related decline in dedicated 
brokerage loads that started in 2022 . To protect our future 
Brokerage growth, we have diversified our freight base from 
90 customers at the start of 2022 to an average of 140 cus-
tomers throughout 2023 .

A performance that stood out was the continued profitable 
development of MRTN de México, which has consistently 
been  our  most  profitable  platform .  We’ve  had  seven  con-
secutive quarterly increases in dry truckload and brokerage 
loads since we expanded into dry freight with our Mexico 
operations in February 2022 . 

We remain committed  to  making  Marten the  best carrier 
in the industry for drivers to work for—the best and safest 
jobs for the best and safest drivers . Unlike the other major 
carriers,  we  hire  only  experienced  drivers .  Our  dedicated 
and regional structure offers more attractive route options, 

MARTEN TRANSPORT 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

more time at home . We lead with our compensation, health 
coverage, technology and safety . Our tractors are the safest 
available,  equipped  with  radar-based  collision  avoidance, 
lane  departure  and  blind  spot  detection  systems .  We  pay 
our  drivers  for  shutting  down  in  inclement  weather—
because safety is our No . 1 priority, and our drivers repre-
sent  our  No .  1  investment .  We  have  been  rewarded  with 
the finest professional driver group in the industry .

Marten has one of the superior track records in the industry, 
thanks in large measure to the disciplined execution of our 
unique business model by our people utilizing our adaptive 
and proprietary operating technology, as demonstrated by 
these  key  financial  performance  measures:  12  consecutive 
years  of  our  then-best  operating  revenue,  excluding  fuel 
surcharges  (2011-2022);  three  consecutive  years  with  our 
then-best  operating  ratio,  net  of  fuel  surcharges,  since  we 
became  a  public  company  in  1986  (2020-2022);  and  five 
consecutive  double-digit  percentage  increases  in  annual 
earnings, excluding a deferred income taxes benefit in 2017 
(2018-2022) . These performances illustrate our objective of 
building a base for consistent profitable growth over time . 
That objective remains unchanged .  

We  remain  focused  on  minimizing  the  freight  market’s 
impact on our operations while investing in and positioning 
our  operations  to  capitalize  on  profitable  organic  growth 
opportunities  as  the  market  moves  toward  equilibrium  – 
with fair compensation for our premium services . 

Sincerely,

Randolph L . Marten 
Executive Chairman of the Board  

February 14, 2024

This  Annual  Report  contains  forward-looking  statements  that  involve  risks 
and  uncertainties  that  could  cause  results  to  differ  materially  from  those 
projected. Please refer to the “Risk Factors” section in Item 1A of the attached 
Form 10-K.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Computershare Shareowner Services 

Stockholder correspondence mailing address: 
P .O . Box 43078
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3078 

Overnight correspondence address: 
150 Royall Street, Suite 101
Canton, Massachusetts 02021 

Telephone: (866) 637-5412 
TDD: (800) 231-5469 
Foreign: (201) 680-6578 
www .computershare .com/investor 

Stockholder online inquiries: 
www-us .computershare .com/investor/contact 

Direct communications about stock certificates or a change 
of address to Computershare Shareowner Services .

Corporate Information

Corporate Headquarters

129 Marten Street
Mondovi, Wisconsin 54755
Telephone: (715) 926-4216
Fax: (800) 461-0384
www .marten .com

Stockholder Information

Additional copies of our 2023 Annual Report on Form 
10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
are available by writing to James J . Hinnendael, executive 
vice president and chief financial officer, at our corporate 
headquarters .

Annual Meeting

Stockholders, employees and friends may attend our annual 
meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 2:00 p .m . at the Roger 
Marten Community Center, 120 South Franklin Street, 
Mondovi, Wisconsin .

Stock Listing

NASDAQ Global Select Market symbol: MRTN

Legal Counsel

Fox Rothschild LLP 
33 South Sixth Street, Suite 3600 
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Grant Thornton LLP
241 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 600 
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 

MARTEN TRANSPORT 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Executive Officers and Directors

Randolph L. Marten
Executive Chairman of the Board and Director

Timothy M. Kohl
Chief Executive Officer

Douglas P. Petit
President

James J. Hinnendael
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 

Adam D. Phillips
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer 

Randall J. Baier
Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer 

Patrick J. Pazderka
Secretary
Partner,
Fox Rothschild LLP 
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Larry B. Hagness
Director
Chief Executive Officer, 
Durand Builders Service, Inc .
Durand, Wisconsin

Thomas J. Winkel
Director
Management Consultant
Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Jerry M. Bauer
Director
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, 
Bauer Built, Inc . 
Durand, Wisconsin 

Robert L. Demorest
Director
Business Consultant and Retired President,
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board,
MOCON, Inc .
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ronald R. Booth
Director
Retired Partner,
KPMG LLP
Dellwood, Minnesota 

Kathleen P. Iverson
Director
Retired President, Chief Executive Officer and  
Chairman of the Board, 
CyberOptics Corporation 
Chanhassen, Minnesota 

Patricia L. Jones
Director
Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
Culture Circus LLC
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The 2023 Annual Report is printed on recycled paper.

MARTEN TRANSPORT 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD.  129 MARTEN STREET   MONDOVI, WISCONSIN 54755   TELEPHONE: (715) 926-4216   FAX: (800) 461-0384   www.marten.com