10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

X QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2013

OR

__ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number: 0-11757

J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Arkansas	71-0335111
(State or other jurisdiction	(I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or	Identification No.)
organization)

615 J.B. Hunt Corporate Drive, Lowell, Arkansas  72745

(Address of principal executive offices)

479-820-0000

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

www.jbhunt.com

(Registrant's web site)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to the filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes   X            No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes   X           No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer   X    Accelerated filer  Non-accelerated filer Smaller reporting company

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes          No   X  

The number of shares of the registrant’s $0.01 par value common stock outstanding on March 31, 2013 was 117,583,210.

J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.

Form 10-Q

For The Quarterly Period Ended March 31, 2013

Table of Contents

 Page

Part I.    Financial Information
Item 1.	Financial Statements
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012	3
	Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012	4
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012	5
	Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as of March 31, 2013	6
Item 2.	Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	10
Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	15
Item 4.	Controls and Procedures	15
Part II.    Other Information
Item 1.	Legal Proceedings	16
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	16
Item 2.	Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	16
Item 3.	Defaults Upon Senior Securities	16
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	16
Item 5.	Other Information	16
Item 6.	Exhibits	16
Signatures		18
Exhibits		19

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Part I.    Financial Information

ITEM 1.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Operating revenues, excluding fuel surcharge revenues	$	1,038,940	$	938,683
Fuel surcharge revenues		252,647		227,239
Total operating revenues		1,291,587		1,165,922
Operating expenses:
Rents and purchased transportation		644,533		556,117
Salaries, wages and employee benefits		263,724		250,044
Fuel and fuel taxes		116,560		120,554
Depreciation and amortization		60,730		56,120
Operating supplies and expenses		44,914		39,811
Insurance and claims		12,770		11,045
General and administrative expenses, net of asset dispositions		10,985		3,995
Operating taxes and licenses		7,513		7,142
Communication and utilities		4,819		4,497
Total operating expenses		1,166,548		1,049,325
Operating income		125,039		116,597
Net interest expense		6,256		6,987
Earnings before income taxes		118,783		109,610
Income taxes		45,434		41,926
Net earnings	$	73,349	$	67,684
Weighted average basic shares outstanding		117,553		117,017
Basic earnings per share	$	0.62	$	0.58
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding		119,825		119,750
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.61	$	0.57
Dividends declared per common share	$	-	$	0.14

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands)

	March 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
	(unaudited)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	5,747	$	5,589
Trade accounts receivable, net		529,333		466,011
Prepaid expenses and other		80,118		82,932
Total current assets		615,198		554,532
Property and equipment, at cost		2,982,697		2,904,706
Less accumulated depreciation		1,041,271		1,019,232
Net property and equipment		1,941,426		1,885,474
Other assets		29,495		24,635
Total assets	$	2,586,119	$	2,464,641
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	$	200,000	$	100,000
Trade accounts payable		374,968		266,722
Claims accruals		49,850		47,442
Accrued payroll		54,485		70,647
Other accrued expenses		47,168		17,199
Deferred income taxes		750		750
Total current liabilities		727,221		502,760
Long-term debt		393,289		585,347
Other long-term liabilities		53,815		53,050
Deferred income taxes		536,022		531,624
Stockholders' equity		875,772		791,860
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	2,586,119	$	2,464,641

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013			2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	$	73,349		$	67,684
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		60,730			56,120
Share-based compensation		9,137			8,101
Gain on sale of revenue equipment and other		(1,307	)		(5,709	)
Deferred income taxes		4,398			(11,540	)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable		(63,322	)		(36,227	)
Other assets		(4,166	)		(4,152	)
Trade accounts payable		108,246			52,061
Income taxes payable or receivable		37,379			49,621
Claims accruals		2,408			(433	)
Accrued payroll and other accrued expenses		(20,093	)		(29,254	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		206,759			146,272
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property and equipment		(125,537	)		(112,719	)
Net proceeds from sale of equipment		10,479			28,937
Change in other assets		(12	)		16
Net cash used in investing activities		(115,070	)		(83,766	)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments on long-term debt		(50,000	)		-
Proceeds from revolving lines of credit and other		302,643			334,093
Payments on revolving lines of credit and other		(345,600	)		(383,304	)
Stock option exercises and other		360			1,218
Tax benefit of stock options exercised		1,066			2,136
Dividends paid		-			(16,386	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(91,531	)		(62,243	)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		158			263
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		5,589			5,450
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	5,747		$	5,713
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest	$	10,846		$	12,526
Income taxes	$	2,047		$	1,196

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

5

J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

1.     General

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for interim financial information.  We believe such statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows at the dates and for the periods indicated.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) applicable to quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, the accompanying financial statements do not include all disclosures required by GAAP for annual financial statements.  While we believe the disclosures presented are adequate to make the information not misleading, these unaudited interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.  Operating results for the periods presented in this report are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the calendar year ending December 31, 2013, or any other interim period.  Our business is somewhat seasonal with slightly higher freight volumes typically experienced during August through early November in our full-load freight transportation business.

2.     Earnings Per Share

We compute basic earnings per share by dividing net earnings available to common stockholders by the actual weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the reporting period.  Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if holders of unvested restricted and performance share units or vested or unvested stock options, exercised or converted their holdings into common stock.  The dilutive effect of restricted and performance share units and stock options was 2.3 million shares during the first quarter 2013, compared to 2.7 million shares during the first quarter 2012.

3.     Share-based Compensation

The following table summarizes the components of our share-based compensation program expense (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Restricted share units:
Pretax compensation expense	$	7,203	$	6,745
Tax benefit		2,755		2,580
Restricted share unit expense, net of tax	$	4,448	$	4,165
Performance share units:
Pretax compensation expense	$	1,571	$	1,125
Tax benefit		601		430
Performance share unit expense, net of tax	$	970	$	695
Stock options:
Pretax compensation expense	$	363	$	231
Tax benefit		139		88
Stock option expense, net of tax	$	224	$	143

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      As of March 31, 2013, we had $39.9 million, $9.4 million and $0.3 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted share units, performance share units, and stock options, respectively, that is to be recognized over the remaining weighted-average period of approximately 2.6 years for restricted share units, 2.8 years for performance share units, and 1.1 years for stock options.  During the first quarter 2013, we issued 7,492 shares for vested restricted share units and 47,100 shares as a result of stock option exercises.

4.    Financing Arrangements

Outstanding borrowings under our current financing arrangements consist of the following (in millions):

	March 31, 2013			December 31, 2012
Senior revolving line of credit	$	43.7		$	85.8
Senior term loan		150.0			200.0
Senior notes, net of unamortized discount		399.6			399.5
Less current portion of long-term debt		(200.0	)		(100.0	)
Total long-term debt	$	393.3		$	585.3

Senior Revolving Line of Credit

At March 31, 2013, we were authorized to borrow up to $500 million under a senior revolving line of credit, which is supported by a credit agreement with a group of banks and expires in August 2016.  This senior credit facility allows us to request an increase in the total commitment by up to $250 million and to request a one-year extension of the maturity date.  The applicable interest rate under this agreement is based on either the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or LIBOR, depending upon the specific type of borrowing, plus an applicable margin based on our credit rating and other fees.  At March 31, 2013, we had $43.7 million outstanding at an average interest rate of 1.15% under this agreement.

Senior Term Loan

Our senior term loan at March 31, 2013, consists of an unsecured $150 million variable-rate agreement, which matures in March 2014.  The entire $150 million balance is payable at maturity.  The applicable interest rate under this agreement is based on either the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or LIBOR, depending upon the specific type of borrowing, plus an applicable margin based on our credit rating and other fees.  At March 31, 2013, the interest rate on this facility was 1.2%.

Senior Notes

Our senior notes consist of two separate issuances.  The first is $150 million of 6.08% senior notes, which mature in July 2014.  We are required to make an installment payment in the amount of $50 million in July 2013, with the remainder due upon maturity.  Interest payments are due semiannually in January and July of each year.  The second is $250 million of 3.375% senior notes, which mature in September 2015, with interest payments due semiannually in March and September of each year.  We have the option to redeem for cash some or all of the notes based on a redemption price set forth in the note indenture.

Our financing arrangements require us to maintain certain covenants and financial ratios.  We were in compliance with all covenants and financial ratios at March 31, 2013.

5.    Capital Stock

On October 27, 2011, our Board of Directors authorized the purchase of $500 million of our common stock, of which $453 million was remaining at March 31, 2013.  We did not purchase any shares under our repurchase authorization during the three months ended March 31, 2013.  On December 7, 2012, we announced an increase and a pull forward of our regular quarterly dividend typically paid in February of each calendar year. The increase announced was from $0.14 to $0.15 per common share, which was paid December 28, 2012, to stockholders of record on December 17, 2012.  Accordingly, we did not declare or pay a quarterly dividend in the first quarter of 2013.  On April 25, 2013, our Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.15 per common share, which will be paid on May 24, 2013, to stockholders of record on May 10, 2013.

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6.     Fair Value Measurements

Our assets and liabilities measured at fair value are based on the market approach valuation technique which considers prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets and liabilities.

At March 31, 2013, we had $11.7 million of trading investments measured at fair value, based on quoted market prices (Level 1).  Trading investments are classified in other assets in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and are measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

The carrying amounts and estimated fair values using the income method (Level 2), based on their net present value, discounted at our current borrowing rate of our long-term debt at March 31, 2013, were as follows (in millions):

	Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value
Senior revolving line of credit	$	43.7	$	43.7
Senior term loan	$	150.0	$	150.0
Senior notes	$	399.6	$	422.2

The carrying amounts of all other instruments at March 31, 2013, approximate their fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments or their variable rate.

7.    Income Taxes

Our effective income tax rate was 38.25% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.  In determining our quarterly provision for income taxes, we use an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on our expected annual income, statutory tax rates, best estimate of nontaxable and nondeductible items of income and expense and the ultimate outcome of tax audits.

At March 31, 2013, we had a total of $26.4 million in gross unrecognized tax benefits, which are a component of other long-term liabilities on our balance sheet. Of this amount, $17.1 million represents the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact our effective tax rate.  The total amount of accrued interest and penalties for such unrecognized tax benefits was $4.4 million at March 31, 2013.

8.    Legal Proceedings

We are a defendant in certain class-action lawsuits in which the plaintiffs are current and former California-based drivers who allege claims for unpaid wages, failure to provide meal and rest periods, and other items.  During the first quarter of 2013, we filed a motion to stay proceedings pending a decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on an unrelated case, but with similar issues and are awaiting a ruling.  We cannot reasonably estimate at this time the possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may arise from these lawsuits.

We are involved in certain other claims and pending litigation arising from the normal conduct of business.  Based on present knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, opinions of outside counsel, we believe the resolution of these claims and pending litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

8

9.    Business Segments

We reported four distinct business segments during the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.  These segments included Intermodal (JBI), Dedicated Contract Services® (DCS), Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS), and Truck (JBT).  The operation of each of these businesses is described in Note 10, Segment Information, of our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012.  A summary of certain segment information is presented below (in millions):

	Assets (Excludes intercompany accounts) As of
	March 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
JBI	$	1,516	$	1,443
DCS		640		586
ICS		59		55
JBT		177		185
Other (includes corporate)		194		196
Total	$	2,586	$	2,465

	Operating Revenues For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013			2012
JBI	$	796		$	694
DCS		279			256
ICS		123			97
JBT		102			128
Subtotal		1,300			1,175
Inter-segment eliminations		(8	)		(9	)
Total	$	1,292		$	1,166

	Operating Income For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
JBI	$	96.8	$	79.4
DCS		21.9		28.1
ICS		5.2		4.1
JBT		1.1		4.9
Other (includes corporate)		-		0.1
Total	$	125.0	$	116.6

	Depreciation and Amortization Expense For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
JBI	$	27.8	$	24.7
DCS		22.5		19.4
ICS		0.1		0.1
JBT		7.8		9.5
Other (includes corporate)		2.5		2.4
Total	$	60.7	$	56.1

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ITEM 2.  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should refer to the attached interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes and also to our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012, as you read the following discussion.  We may make statements in this report that reflect our current expectation regarding future results of operations, performance, and achievements.  These are “forward-looking” statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are based on our belief or interpretation of information currently available.  You should realize there are many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described.  Some of the factors and events that are not within our control and could have a significant impact on future operating results are general economic conditions, cost and availability of fuel, accidents, adverse weather conditions, competitive rate fluctuations, availability of drivers, adverse legal decisions and audits or tax assessments of various federal, state, or local taxing authorities.  Additionally, our business is somewhat seasonal with slightly higher freight volumes typically experienced during August through early November in our full-load transportation business.  You should also refer to Item 1A of our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012, for additional information on risk factors and other events that are not within our control.  Our future financial and operating results may fluctuate as a result of these and other risk factors as described from time to time in our filings with the SEC.

GENERAL

We are one of the largest surface transportation, delivery and logistics companies in North America.  We operate four distinct, but complementary, business segments and provide a wide range of transportation and delivery services to a diverse group of customers throughout the continental United States, Canada and Mexico.  Our service offerings include transportation of full-truckload containerized freight.  We have arrangements with most of the major North American rail carriers to provide the underlying line-haul movement, while we perform the majority of the pickup and delivery services using our company-owned tractors.  We also provide customized freight movement, revenue equipment, labor, systems and delivery services that are tailored to meet individual customers’ requirements and typically involve long-term contracts.  These arrangements are generally referred to as dedicated services and may include multiple pickups and drops, local and home deliveries, freight handling, specialized equipment and freight network design.  Our local and home delivery services typically are provided through a network of cross-dock service centers throughout the continental United States.  Utilizing a network of thousands of reliable third-party carriers, we also provide comprehensive transportation and logistics services. In addition to dry-van, full-load operations, these unrelated outside carriers also provide flatbed, refrigerated, less-than-truckload (LTL) and other specialized equipment, drivers and services.  Also, we utilize a combination of company-owned and contracted power units to provide traditional over-the-road full truckload delivery services.  We account for our business on a calendar year basis with our full year ending on December 31 and our quarterly reporting periods ending on March 31, June 30 and September 30.  The operation of each of our four business segments is described in Note 10, Segment Information, of our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The preparation of our financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that impact the amounts reported in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes.  Therefore, the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and associated disclosures of contingent liabilities are affected by these estimates.  We evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis, utilizing historical experience, consultation with experts and other methods considered reasonable in the particular circumstances.  Nevertheless, actual results may differ significantly from our estimates.  Any effects on our business, financial position or results of operations resulting from revisions to these estimates are recognized in the accounting period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.

Information regarding our Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates can be found in our Annual Report (Form 10-K).  The critical accounting policies that we believe require us to make more significant judgments and estimates when we prepare our financial statements include those relating to self-insurance accruals, revenue equipment, revenue recognition and income taxes.  We have discussed the development and selection of these critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.  In addition, Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the financial statements in our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012, contains a summary of our critical accounting policies.  There have been no material changes to the methodology we apply for critical accounting estimates as previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Comparison of Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 to Three Months Ended March 31, 2012

	Summary of Operating Segment Results For the Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions)
	Operating Revenues						Operating Income
	2013			2012			2013		2012
JBI	$	796		$	694		$	96.8	$	79.4
DCS		279			256			21.9		28.1
ICS		123			97			5.2		4.1
JBT		102			128			1.1		4.9
Other (includes corporate)		-			-			-		0.1
Subtotal		1,300			1,175			125.0		116.6
Inter-segment eliminations		(8	)		(9	)		-		-
Total	$	1,292		$	1,166		$	125.0	$	116.6

Total consolidated operating revenues increased to $1.29 billion for the first quarter 2013, an 11% increase from $1.17 billion in the first quarter 2012.  JBI, DCS and ICS business segments contributed to this increase in operating revenue, primarily due to higher load volumes, while JBT business segment revenue declined, primarily from a 21% reduction in fleet size.    Fuel surcharge (FSC) revenues were $252.6 million during the current quarter, compared with $227.2 million in 2012.  If FSC revenues were excluded from both periods, the increase in first quarter 2013 revenue compared to 2012 is also 11%.

JBI segment revenue increased 15%, to $796 million during the first quarter 2013, compared with $694 million in 2012.  This increase in segment revenue was primarily a result of a 13% increase in load volume over the prior year.  Improved service levels and tighter capacity in the truck market contributed to Eastern network growth of 19% and transcontinental growth of 10%.  In addition to increased load volumes, higher revenue per load, which is a combination of base rate pricing, FSC and freight mix, also contributed to the segment’s overall revenue growth.  JBI segment operating income increased 22%, to $96.8 million in the first quarter 2013, from $79.4 million in 2012.  Despite increased equipment and maintenance costs, increased dray cost and higher dray purchase transportation costs, JBI operating income increased primarily due to increased load volume, consistent rail service, improved execution on dray movements and increased revenue per load.

DCS segment revenue increased 9%, to $279 million in the first quarter 2013, from $256 million in 2012.  Excluding FSC, revenue increased 10%, compared to the first quarter 2012.  This increase was primarily attributable to new long-term contracts currently being implemented.  DCS ended the first quarter 2013 with a net additional 633 revenue producing trucks when compared to the same period 2012, primarily due to new customer accounts.  DCS segment operating income decreased 22%, to $21.9 million in 2013, from $28.1 million in 2012.  The decrease in operating income was driven primarily by increased equipment and maintenance costs, lower gains on equipment sales, and increased bad debt expense.  In addition, DCS incurred approximately $1.7 million in implementation costs for the new long-term customers. These implementation costs include, but are not limited to, driver and management hiring costs and relocation, personnel travel costs, equipment repositioning costs, technology design and integration, and telecommunication and operational system infrastructure. Conversion of these exceptionally large private fleets will take approximately six to eight months to fully implement.  We anticipate incurring additional implementation expenses in the coming periods of approximately $2.5 million related to these contracts.

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ICS segment revenue increased 26%, to $123 million in the first quarter 2013, from $97 million in 2012, primarily attributable to a 47% increase in load volume and higher pricing in transactional business.  Both transactional and contractual business experienced increased load volumes; however, contractual business grew more rapidly and represented 69% of total volumes for the first quarter of 2013.  Volumes grew faster than revenue primarily due to a change in freight mix driven by customer demand. ICS segment operating income increased 27% to $5.2 million, from $4.1 million in 2012, due to increased revenue and improved overhead cost controls.  ICS gross profit margin declined to 13.0% in the current quarter, from 14.3% in the first quarter 2012, due to increased rates paid to carriers from tighter supply and a competitive brokerage environment.

JBT segment revenue totaled $102 million for the first quarter 2013, a decrease of 21% from $128 million in the first quarter 2012.  Excluding FSC, the decrease in segment revenue is also 21%.  This decrease in revenue was primarily a result of a 21% reduction in fleet size, lower equipment utilization, and shorter length of haul, slightly offset by increased pricing.  JBT segment operating income decreased 78% to $1.1 million in 2013, compared with $4.9 million during first quarter 2012.  This decrease in operating income was primarily due to lower revenue, increased driver and independent contractor cost per mile, higher administrative salaries per tractor, higher maintenance and equipment cost per unit, and fewer gains on equipment sales when compared to the first quarter of 2012.

Consolidated Operating Expenses

The following table sets forth items in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings as a percentage of operating revenues and the percentage increase or decrease of those items as compared with the prior period.

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	Dollar Amounts as a Percentage of Total Operating Revenues						Percentage Change of Dollar Amounts Between Quarters
	2013			2012			2013 vs. 2012
Total operating revenues		100.0	%		100.0	%		10. 8	%
Operating expenses:
Rents and purchased transportation		49.9			47.7			15. 9
Salaries, wages and employee benefits		20.4			21.4			5. 5
Fuel and fuel taxes		9.0			10.3			(3. 3	)
Depreciation and amortization		4.7			4.8			8. 2
Operating supplies and expenses		3.5			3.4			12. 8
Insurance and claims		1.0			1.0			15. 6
General and administrative expenses, net of asset dispositions		0.8			0.4			175. 0
Operating taxes and licenses		0.6			0.6			5. 2
Communication and utilities		0.4			0.4			7. 2
Total operating expenses		90.3			90.0			11. 2
Operating income		9.7			10.0			7. 2
Net interest expense		0.5			0.6			(10. 5	)
Earnings before income taxes		9.2			9.4			8. 4
Income taxes		3.5		­­­­­­­3.6				8. 4
Net earnings		5.7	%		5.8	%		8. 4	%

Total operating expenses increased 11.2%, while operating revenues increased 10.8%, during the first quarter 2013, from the comparable period 2012.  Operating income increased to $125.0 million during the first quarter 2013, from $116.6 million in 2012.

Rents and purchased transportation costs increased 15.9% in 2013.  This increase was primarily the result of the increase in load volume, which increased services provided by third-party rail and truck carriers within JBI and ICS segments.

Salaries, wages and employee benefit costs increased 5.5% in 2013 compared with 2012.  This increase was primarily related to increases in driver and other labor pay due to increased business demand, a tighter supply of qualified drivers and new long-term customer contracts within DCS, partially offset by a reduction in driver pay within JBT due to fleet reduction.

12

Fuel costs decreased 3.3% in 2013, compared with 2012, due to fewer road miles during the current period, resulting from the fleet reduction within JBT, offset by increases in the JBI and DCS segments.  Depreciation and amortization expense increased 8.2% in 2013, primarily due to additions to our JBI segment tractor, container and chassis fleets to support additional business demand, as well as additional equipment purchased related to new DCS long-term customer contracts.  These increases were partially offset by the reduction in the JBT tractor fleet.

Operating supplies and expenses increased 12.8%, due to increased general maintenance costs resulting from growth in equipment fleets and increased toll activity.  Insurance and claims expense increased 15.6% in 2013 compared with 2012, primarily due to additional costs related to two large claims that occurred in prior periods, which were shared by all business units.

General and administrative expenses increased 175% for the current quarter from the comparable period in 2012, primarily due to a decrease in net gains from asset sales.  Net gains from sale of revenue equipment were $1.3 million in 2013, compared with $5.7 million in 2012.

Net interest expense decreased in 2013, primarily due to reduced debt levels.  Total debt decreased to $593 million at March 31, 2013, from $702 million at March 31, 2012.

Our effective income tax rate was 38.25% for the three months ended March 31, 2013, which was consistent with the same period in 2012.  In determining our quarterly provision for income taxes, we use an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on our expected annual income, statutory tax rates, best estimate of nontaxable and nondeductible items of income and expense and the ultimate outcome of tax audits.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash Flow

Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $207 million during the first three months of 2013, compared with $146 million for the same period 2012.  Operating cash flows increased primarily due to increased trade accounts payables and accrued expenses at period end due to timing of payments, offset by the timing of trade receivables collections.  These timing differences are the primary reason for the change in our working capital ratios shown below.  Net cash used in investing activities totaled $115 million in 2013, compared with $84 million in 2012.  The increase related to fewer asset sales in 2013, offset by an increase in equipment purchases.  Net cash used in financing activities increased to $92 million in 2013, compared to $62 million in 2012.  This increase resulted primarily from additional payments on outstanding debt, offset by the timing of the payment of our 2013 first quarter dividend, which was pulled forward and paid in December 2012.

Debt and Liquidity Data

	March 31, 2013			December 31, 2012			March 31, 2012
Working capital ratio		0.85			1.10			0.99
Current portion of long-term debt (millions)	$	200.0		$	100.0		$	100.0
Total debt (millions)	$	593.3		$	685.3		$	702.1
Total debt to equity		0.68			0.87			1.11
Total debt as a percentage of total capital		40	%		46	%		53	%

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Liquidity

Our need for capital has typically resulted from the acquisition of containers and chassis, trucks, tractors and trailers required to support our growth and the replacement of older equipment.  We are frequently able to accelerate or postpone a portion of equipment replacements depending on market conditions.  We have, during the past few years, obtained capital through cash generated from operations, revolving lines of credit and long-term debt issuances.  We have also periodically utilized operating leases to acquire revenue equipment.

We believe our liquid assets, cash generated from operations and revolving line of credit, will provide sufficient funds for our operating and capital requirements for the foreseeable future.  The following table summarizes our expected obligations and commitments as of March 31, 2013 (in millions):

	Total		One Year Or Less		One to Three Years		Three to Five Years		After Five Years
Operating leases	$	23.4	$	8.2	$	10.5	$	4.5	$	0.2
Debt obligations		593.3		200.0		349.6		43.7		-
Interest payments on debt (1)		33.5		17.7		15.6		0.2		-
Commitments to acquire revenue equipment and facilities		277.2		277.2		-		-		-
Total	$	927.4	$	503.1	$	375.7	$	48.4	$	0.2

(1)  Interest payments on debt are based on the debt balance and applicable rate at March 31, 2013.

Our net capital expenditures were approximately $115 million during the first three months of 2013, compared with $84 million for the same period 2012.  Our net capital expenditures include net additions to revenue equipment and non-revenue producing assets that are necessary to contribute to and support the future growth of our various business segments.  Capital expenditures in 2013 were primarily for tractors, additional intermodal containers and chassis, and other trailing equipment.  We are currently committed to spend approximately $277 million during the remainder of 2013.  We expect to spend in the range of $425 million to $450 million for net capital expenditures during calendar year 2013.  The table above excludes $30.8 million of potential liabilities for uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, which are recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  However, we are unable to reasonably estimate the ultimate timing of any settlements.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

Our only off-balance sheet arrangements as of March 31, 2013, were operating leases related to facility lease obligations.

Risk Factors

You should refer to Item 1A of our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012, under the caption “Risk Factors” for specific details on the following factors and events that are not within our control and could affect our financial results.

· Our business is subject to general economic and business factors, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.  Economic trends and tightening of credit in financial markets could adversely affect our ability, and the ability of our suppliers, to obtain financing for operations and capital expenditures.

· We depend on third parties in the operation of our business.

· Rapid changes in fuel costs could impact our periodic financial results.

· Insurance and claims expenses could significantly reduce our earnings.

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· We derive a significant portion of our revenue from a few major customers, the loss of one or more of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

· We operate in a regulated industry, and increased direct and indirect costs of compliance with, or liability for violation of, existing or future regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.

· Difficulty in attracting and retaining drivers, delivery personnel and third-party carriers could affect our profitability and ability to grow.

· We operate in a competitive and highly fragmented industry.  Numerous factors could impair our ability to maintain our current profitability and to compete with other carriers and private fleets.

· Extreme or unusual weather conditions can disrupt our operations, impact freight volumes and increase our costs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business results.

· Our operations are subject to various environmental laws and regulations, the violation of which could result in substantial fines or penalties.

ITEM 3.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

We had $593.3 million of debt outstanding at March 31, 2013, including our senior revolving line of credit, senior term loan and senior notes issuances.  Our senior notes have fixed interest rates of 3.375% and 6.08%.  These fixed-rate facilities reduce the impact of changes to market interest rates on future interest expense.  Our senior revolving line of credit and senior term loan have variable interest rates, which are based on the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate, or LIBOR, depending upon the specific type of borrowing, plus any applicable margins.  Risk can be quantified by measuring the financial impact of a near-term adverse increase in short-term interest rates.  Our earnings would be affected by changes in these short-term variable interest rates.  At our current level of borrowing, a one percentage point increase in our applicable rate would reduce annual pretax earnings by $1.9 million.

Although we conduct business in foreign countries, international operations are not material to our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.  Additionally, foreign currency transaction gains and losses were not material to our results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013.  Accordingly, we are not currently subject to material foreign currency exchange rate risks from the effects that exchange rate movements of foreign currencies would have on our future costs or on future cash flows we would receive from our foreign investment.  As of March 31, 2013, we had no foreign currency forward exchange contracts or other derivative financial instruments to hedge the effects of adverse fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.

The price and availability of diesel fuel are subject to fluctuations due to changes in the level of global oil production, seasonality, weather and other market factors.  Historically, we have been able to recover a majority of fuel price increases from our customers in the form of fuel surcharges.  We cannot predict the extent to which high fuel price levels may occur in the future, or the extent to which fuel surcharges could be collected to offset such increases.  As of March 31, 2013, we had no derivative financial instruments to reduce our exposure to fuel price fluctuations.

ITEM 4.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our internal controls and disclosure controls.  Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2013, in alerting them on a timely basis to material information required to be disclosed by us in our periodic reports to the SEC.

15

In addition, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during our first three months of 2013 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Part II.    Other Information

ITEM 1.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We are a defendant in certain class-action lawsuits in which the plaintiffs are current and former California-based drivers who allege claims for unpaid wages, failure to provide meal and rest periods, and other items.  During the first quarter of 2013, we filed a motion to stay proceedings pending a decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on an unrelated case, but with similar issues and are awaiting a ruling.  We cannot reasonably estimate at this time the possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may arise from these lawsuits.

We are involved in certain other claims and pending litigation arising from the normal conduct of business.  Based on present knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, opinions of outside counsel, we believe the resolution of these claims and pending litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Information regarding risk factors appears in Part I, Item 2, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this report on Form 10-Q and in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

ITEM 2.    UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Not applicable.

ITEM 3.    DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

Not applicable.

ITEM 4.    MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

ITEM 5.    OTHER INFORMATION

Not applicable.

ITEM 6.    EXHIBITS

Index to Exhibits

16

Exhibit Number	Exhibits
3.1	Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. dated May 19, 1988 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2005, filed April 29, 2005)
3.2	Restated Bylaws of J. B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. dated February 4, 2010 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.0 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed February 10, 2010)
31.1	Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification
31.2	Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification
32.1	Section 1350 Certification
32.2	Section 1350 Certification
101.INS	XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

17

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Lowell, Arkansas, on the 26th day of April, 2013.

J.B. HUNT TRANSPORT SERVICES, INC.
(Registrant)
BY:	/s/ John N. Roberts, III
	John N. Roberts, III
	President and Chief Executive Officer
	(Principal Executive Officer)
BY:	/s/ David G. Mee
	David G. Mee
	Executive Vice President, Finance and
	Administration, Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Accounting Officer)

18

EX-31.1

Exhibit 31.1

RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION

I, John N. Roberts, III, Principal Executive Officer, certify that:

1.  I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.;

2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a  material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for the periods presented in this report;

4.  The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a)       designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b)       designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c)        evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d)       disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent calendar quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.  The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors:

a)      all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b)       any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date:  April 26, 2013	/s/ John N. Roberts, III
	John N. Roberts, III
	President and Chief Executive Officer
	(Principal Executive Officer)

EX-31.2

Exhibit 31.2

RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION

I, David G. Mee, Principal Accounting Officer, certify that:

1.  I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.;

2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for the periods presented in this report;

4.  The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a)       designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b)       designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c)        evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d)       disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent calendar quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.  The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors:

a)      all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b)       any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date:  April 26, 2013	/s/ David G. Mee
	David G. Mee
	Executive Vice President, Finance and
	Administration, Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Accounting Officer)

EX-32.1

Exhibit 32.1

SECTION 1350 CERTIFICATION

In connection with the Quarterly Report of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2013 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, John N. Roberts, III, Principal Executive Officer, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002:

1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of the dates presented and consolidated results of operations of the Company for the periods presented.

Date:  April 26, 2013	/s/ John N. Roberts, III
	John N. Roberts, III
	President and Chief Executive Officer
	(Principal Executive Officer)

EX-32.2

Exhibit 32.2

SECTION 1350 CERTIFICATION

In connection with the Quarterly Report of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2013 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, David G. Mee, Principal Accounting Officer, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002:

1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of the dates presented and consolidated results of operations of the Company for the periods presented.

Date:  April 26, 2013	/s/ David G. Mee
	David G. Mee
	Executive Vice President, Finance and
	Administration, Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Accounting Officer)

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Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Detail) - Carrying Amounts and Estimated Fair Values (Senior Debt Obligations [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Line of Credit [Member]
Senior revolving line of credit	$ 43.7	$ 85.8
Senior revolving line of credit	43.7
Loans Payable [Member]
Carrying Value	150.0	200.0
Estimated Fair Value	150.0
Senior Notes [Member]
Carrying Value	399.6	399.5
Estimated Fair Value	$ 422.2

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Note 5 - Capital Stock

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Stockholders' Equity, Policy [Policy Text Block]

5.      Capital Stock

    On October 27, 2011, our Board of Directors authorized the purchase of $500 million of our common stock, of which $453 million was remaining at March 31, 2013.  We did not purchase any shares under our repurchase authorization during the three months ended March 31, 2013.  On December 7, 2012, we announced an increase and a pull forward of our regular quarterly dividend typically paid in February of each calendar year. The increase announced was from $0.14 to $0.15 per common share, which was paid December 28, 2012, to stockholders of record on December 17, 2012.  Accordingly, we did not declare or pay a quarterly dividend in the first quarter of 2013.  On April 25, 2013, our Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.15 per common share, which will be paid on May 24, 2013, to stockholders of record on May 10, 2013.

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Note 9 - Business Segments (Detail) - Operating Revenues (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Segment revenues	$ 1,292	$ 1,166
JBI [Member]
Segment revenues	796	694
DCS [Member]
Segment revenues	279	256
ICS [Member]
Segment revenues	123	97
JBT [Member]
Segment revenues	102	128
Subtotal [Member]
Segment revenues	1,300	1,175
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment revenues	$ (8)	$ (9)

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Note 9 - Business Segments (Detail) - Assets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Assets	$ 2,586,119	$ 2,464,641
JBI [Member]
Segment Assets	1,516,000	1,443,000
DCS [Member]
Segment Assets	640,000	586,000
ICS [Member]
Segment Assets	59,000	55,000
JBT [Member]
Segment Assets	177,000	185,000
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Assets	$ 194,000	$ 196,000

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Note 9 - Business Segments (Detail) - Operating Income (Loss) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	$ 125,039	$ 116,597
JBI [Member]
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	96,800	79,400
DCS [Member]
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	21,900	28,100
ICS [Member]
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	5,200	4,100
JBT [Member]
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	1,100	4,900
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Operating Income (Loss)		$ 100

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Note 9 - Business Segments (Detail) - Depreciation and Amortization (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Segment Depreciation and Amortization Expense	$ 60,730	$ 56,120
JBI [Member]
Segment Depreciation and Amortization Expense	27,800	24,700
DCS [Member]
Segment Depreciation and Amortization Expense	22,500	19,400
ICS [Member]
Segment Depreciation and Amortization Expense	100	100
JBT [Member]
Segment Depreciation and Amortization Expense	7,800	9,500
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Depreciation and Amortization Expense	$ 2,500	$ 2,400

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Note 4 - Financing Arrangements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Debt Disclosure [Text Block]

4.     Financing Arrangements

Outstanding borrowings under our current financing arrangements consist of the following (in millions):

	March 31, 2013			December 31, 2012
Senior revolving line of credit	$	43.7		$	85.8
Senior term loan		150.0			200.0
Senior notes, net of unamortized discount		399.6			399.5
Less current portion of long-term debt		(200.0	)		(100.0	)
Total long-term debt	$	393.3		$	585.3

Senior Revolving Line of Credit

At March 31, 2013, we were authorized to borrow up to $500 million under a senior revolving line of credit, which is supported by a credit agreement with a group of banks and expires in August 2016.  This senior credit facility allows us to request an increase in the total commitment by up to $250 million and to request a one-year extension of the maturity date.  The applicable interest rate under this agreement is based on either the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or LIBOR, depending upon the specific type of borrowing, plus an applicable margin based on our credit rating and other fees.  At March 31, 2013, we had $43.7 million outstanding at an average interest rate of 1.15% under this agreement.

Senior Term Loan

Our senior term loan at March 31, 2013, consists of an unsecured $150 million variable-rate agreement, which matures in March 2014.  The entire $150 million balance is payable at maturity.  The applicable interest rate under this agreement is based on either the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or LIBOR, depending upon the specific type of borrowing, plus an applicable margin based on our credit rating and other fees.  At March 31, 2013, the interest rate on this facility was 1.2%.

Senior Notes

Our senior notes consist of two separate issuances.  The first is $150 million of 6.08% senior notes, which mature in July 2014.  We are required to make an installment payment in the amount of $50 million in July 2013, with the remainder due upon maturity.  Interest payments are due semiannually in January and July of each year.  The second is $250 million of 3.375% senior notes, which mature in September 2015, with interest payments due semiannually in March and September of each year.  We have the option to redeem for cash some or all of the notes based on a redemption price set forth in the note indenture.

Our financing arrangements require us to maintain certain covenants and financial ratios.  We were in compliance with all covenants and financial ratios at March 31, 2013.

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Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Operating revenues, excluding fuel surcharge revenues	$ 1,038,940	$ 938,683
Fuel surcharge revenues	252,647	227,239
Total operating revenues	1,291,587	1,165,922
Operating expenses:
Rents and purchased transportation	644,533	556,117
Salaries, wages and employee benefits	263,724	250,044
Fuel and fuel taxes	116,560	120,554
Depreciation and amortization	60,730	56,120
Operating supplies and expenses	44,914	39,811
Insurance and claims	12,770	11,045
General and administrative expenses, net of asset dispositions	10,985	3,995
Operating taxes and licenses	7,513	7,142
Communication and utilities	4,819	4,497
Total operating expenses	1,166,548	1,049,325
Operating income	125,039	116,597
Net interest expense	6,256	6,987
Earnings before income taxes	118,783	109,610
Income taxes	45,434	41,926
Net earnings	$ 73,349	$ 67,684
Weighted average basic shares outstanding (in Shares)	117,553	117,017
Basic earnings per share (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.62	$ 0.58
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding (in Shares)	119,825	119,750
Diluted earnings per share (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.61	$ 0.57
Dividends declared per common share (in Dollars per share)		$ 0.14

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Note 2 - Earnings Per Share

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Earnings Per Share [Text Block]

2.     Earnings Per Share

We compute basic earnings per share by dividing net earnings available to common stockholders by the actual weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the reporting period.  Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if holders of unvested restricted and performance share units or vested or unvested stock options, exercised or converted their holdings into common stock.  The dilutive effect of restricted and performance share units and stock options was 2.3 million shares during the first quarter 2013, compared to 2.7 million shares during the first quarter 2012.

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Note 4 - Financing Arrangements (Detail) - Outstanding Borrowings (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Less current portion of long-term debt	$ (200,000,000)	$ (100,000,000)
Total long-term debt	393,289,000	585,347,000
Line of Credit [Member] | Senior Debt Obligations [Member]
Senior revolving line of credit	43,700,000	85,800,000
Loans Payable [Member] | Senior Debt Obligations [Member]
Long-term debt	150,000,000	200,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Debt Obligations [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 399,600,000	$ 399,500,000

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Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013
Trading Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 11.7

XML

Note 3 - Share-based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

3.     Share-based Compensation

The following table summarizes the components of our share-based compensation program expense (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2013		2012
Restricted share units:
Pretax compensation expense	$	7,203	$	6,745
Tax benefit		2,755		2,580
Restricted share unit expense, net of tax	$	4,448	$	4,165
Performance share units:
Pretax compensation expense	$	1,571	$	1,125
Tax benefit		601		430
Performance share unit expense, net of tax	$	970	$	695
Stock options:
Pretax compensation expense	$	363	$	231
Tax benefit		139		88
Stock option expense, net of tax	$	224	$	143

      As of March 31, 2013, we had $39.9 million, $9.4 million and $0.3 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted share units, performance share units, and stock options, respectively, that is to be recognized over the remaining weighted-average period of approximately 2.6 years for restricted share units, 2.8 years for performance share units, and 1.1 years for stock options.  During the first quarter 2013, we issued 7,492 shares for vested restricted share units and 47,100 shares as a result of stock option exercises.

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Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 5,747	$ 5,589
Trade accounts receivable, net	529,333	466,011
Prepaid expenses and other	80,118	82,932
Total current assets	615,198	554,532
Property and equipment, at cost	2,982,697	2,904,706
Less accumulated depreciation	1,041,271	1,019,232
Net property and equipment	1,941,426	1,885,474
Other assets	29,495	24,635
Total assets	2,586,119	2,464,641
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	200,000	100,000
Trade accounts payable	374,968	266,722
Claims accruals	49,850	47,442
Accrued payroll	54,485	70,647
Other accrued expenses	47,168	17,199
Deferred income taxes	750	750
Total current liabilities	727,221	502,760
Long-term debt	393,289	585,347
Other long-term liabilities	53,815	53,050
Deferred income taxes	536,022	531,624
Stockholders' equity	875,772	791,860
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 2,586,119	$ 2,464,641

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Note 9 - Business Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Reconciliation of Assets from Segment to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

	Assets (Excludes intercompany accounts) As of
	March 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
JBI	$	1,516	$	1,443
DCS		640		586
ICS		59		55
JBT		177		185
Other (includes corporate)		194		196
Total	$	2,586	$	2,465

Reconciliation of Revenue from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

	Operating Revenues For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013			2012
JBI	$	796		$	694
DCS		279			256
ICS		123			97
JBT		102			128
Subtotal		1,300			1,175
Inter-segment eliminations		(8	)		(9	)
Total	$	1,292		$	1,166

Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated

	Operating Income For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
JBI	$	96.8	$	79.4
DCS		21.9		28.1
ICS		5.2		4.1
JBT		1.1		4.9
Other (includes corporate)		-		0.1
Total	$	125.0	$	116.6

Reconciliation of Other Significant Reconciling Items from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

	Depreciation and Amortization Expense For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
JBI	$	27.8	$	24.7
DCS		22.5		19.4
ICS		0.1		0.1
JBT		7.8		9.5
Other (includes corporate)		2.5		2.4
Total	$	60.7	$	56.1

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Document And Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	HUNT J B TRANSPORT SERVICES INC
Document Type	10-Q
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	117,583,210
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Central Index Key	0000728535
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2013
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2013
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1

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Note 2 - Earnings Per Share (Detail) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Share-based Payment Arrangements	2.3	2.7

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Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	$ 73,349	$ 67,684
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	60,730	56,120
Share-based compensation	9,137	8,101
Gain on sale of revenue equipment and other	(1,307)	(5,709)
Deferred income taxes	4,398	(11,540)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	(63,322)	(36,227)
Other assets	(4,166)	(4,152)
Trade accounts payable	108,246	52,061
Income taxes payable or receivable	37,379	49,621
Claims accruals	2,408	(433)
Accrued payroll and other accrued expenses	(20,093)	(29,254)
Net cash provided by operating activities	206,759	146,272
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property and equipment	(125,537)	(112,719)
Net proceeds from sale of equipment	10,479	28,937
Change in other assets	(12)	16
Net cash used in investing activities	(115,070)	(83,766)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(50,000)
Proceeds from revolving lines of credit and other	302,643	334,093
Payments on revolving lines of credit and other	(345,600)	(383,304)
Stock option exercises and other	360	1,218
Tax benefit of stock options exercised	1,066	2,136
Dividends paid		(16,386)
Net cash used in financing activities	(91,531)	(62,243)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	158	263
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	5,589	5,450
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	5,747	5,713
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest	10,846	12,526
Income taxes	$ 2,047	$ 1,196

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Note 8 - Legal Proceedings

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

8.     Legal Proceedings

We are a defendant in certain class-action lawsuits in which the plaintiffs are current and former California-based drivers who allege claims for unpaid wages, failure to provide meal and rest periods, and other items.  During the first quarter of 2013, we filed a motion to stay proceedings pending a decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on an unrelated case, but with similar issues and are awaiting a ruling.  We cannot reasonably estimate at this time the possible loss or range of loss, if any, that may arise from these lawsuits.

We are involved in certain other claims and pending litigation arising from the normal conduct of business.  Based on present knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, opinions of outside counsel, we believe the resolution of these claims and pending litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

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Note 7 - Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

7.     Income Taxes

Our effective income tax rate was 38.25% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.  In determining our quarterly provision for income taxes, we use an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on our expected annual income, statutory tax rates, best estimate of nontaxable and nondeductible items of income and expense and the ultimate outcome of tax audits.

At March 31, 2013, we had a total of $26.4 million in gross unrecognized tax benefits, which are a component of other long-term liabilities on our balance sheet. Of this amount, $17.1 million represents the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact our effective tax rate.  The total amount of accrued interest and penalties for such unrecognized tax benefits was $4.4 million at March 31, 2013.

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Note 5 - Capital Stock (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		4 Months Ended	10 Months Ended	11 Months Ended
	Dec. 07, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Apr. 25, 2013	Oct. 27, 2011	Dec. 07, 2012
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount (in Dollars)					$ 500
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount (in Dollars)		$ 453
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.15		$ 0.14	$ 0.15		$ 0.14

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Note 3 - Share-based Compensation (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)	$ 39.9
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	2 years 219 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period (in Shares)	7,492
Performance Shares [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)	9.4
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	2 years 292 days
Stock Options [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)	$ 0.3
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 36 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period (in Shares)	47,100

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Note 4 - Financing Arrangements (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Schedule of Debt [Table Text Block]

	March 31, 2013			December 31, 2012
Senior revolving line of credit	$	43.7		$	85.8
Senior term loan		150.0			200.0
Senior notes, net of unamortized discount		399.6			399.5
Less current portion of long-term debt		(200.0	)		(100.0	)
Total long-term debt	$	393.3		$	585.3

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Note 9 - Business Segments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

9.  Business Segments

We reported four distinct business segments during the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.  These segments included Intermodal (JBI), Dedicated Contract Services® (DCS), Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS), and Truck (JBT).  The operation of each of these businesses is described in Note 10, Segment Information, of our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012.  A summary of certain segment information is presented below (in millions):

	Assets (Excludes intercompany accounts) As of
	March 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
JBI	$	1,516	$	1,443
DCS		640		586
ICS		59		55
JBT		177		185
Other (includes corporate)		194		196
Total	$	2,586	$	2,465

	Operating Revenues For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013			2012
JBI	$	796		$	694
DCS		279			256
ICS		123			97
JBT		102			128
Subtotal		1,300			1,175
Inter-segment eliminations		(8	)		(9	)
Total	$	1,292		$	1,166

	Operating Income For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
JBI	$	96.8	$	79.4
DCS		21.9		28.1
ICS		5.2		4.1
JBT		1.1		4.9
Other (includes corporate)		-		0.1
Total	$	125.0	$	116.6

	Depreciation and Amortization Expense For The Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
JBI	$	27.8	$	24.7
DCS		22.5		19.4
ICS		0.1		0.1
JBT		7.8		9.5
Other (includes corporate)		2.5		2.4
Total	$	60.7	$	56.1

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Note 3 - Share-based Compensation (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Schedule of Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Table Text Block]

	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2013		2012
Restricted share units:
Pretax compensation expense	$	7,203	$	6,745
Tax benefit		2,755		2,580
Restricted share unit expense, net of tax	$	4,448	$	4,165
Performance share units:
Pretax compensation expense	$	1,571	$	1,125
Tax benefit		601		430
Performance share unit expense, net of tax	$	970	$	695
Stock options:
Pretax compensation expense	$	363	$	231
Tax benefit		139		88
Stock option expense, net of tax	$	224	$	143

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Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Text Block]

	Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value
Senior revolving line of credit	$	43.7	$	43.7
Senior term loan	$	150.0	$	150.0
Senior notes	$	399.6	$	422.2

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Note 4 - Financing Arrangements (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended							1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Scenario, Plan [Member] Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Loans Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Scenario, Plan [Member] Line of Credit [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Line of Credit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Line of Credit [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Loans Payable [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Loans Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Debt Obligations [Member] Senior Notes [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] Senior Notes First Issuance [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] Senior Notes First Issuance [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] Senior Notes Second Issuance [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity				$ 500,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Increase, Additional Borrowings			250,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding				43,700,000	85,800,000
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate				1.15%
Long-term Debt						150,000,000	200,000,000	399,600,000	399,500,000		150,000,000	250,000,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt	$ 50,000,000	$ 150,000,000								$ 50,000,000
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate						1.20%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage											6.08%	3.375%

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Note 7 - Income Taxes (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Effective Income Tax Rate, Continuing Operations	38.25%	38.25%
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	$ 26.4
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	17.1
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued	$ 4.4

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Note 1 - General

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]

1.     General

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for interim financial information.  We believe such statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows at the dates and for the periods indicated.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) applicable to quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, the accompanying financial statements do not include all disclosures required by GAAP for annual financial statements.  While we believe the disclosures presented are adequate to make the information not misleading, these unaudited interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.  Operating results for the periods presented in this report are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the calendar year ending December 31, 2013, or any other interim period.  Our business is somewhat seasonal with slightly higher freight volumes typically experienced during August through early November in our full-load freight transportation business.

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Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

6.     Fair Value Measurements

Our assets and liabilities measured at fair value are based on the market approach valuation technique which considers prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets and liabilities.

At March 31, 2013, we had $11.7 million of trading investments measured at fair value, based on quoted market prices (Level 1).  Trading investments are classified in other assets in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and are measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

The carrying amounts and estimated fair values using the income method (Level 2), based on their net present value, discounted at our current borrowing rate of our long-term debt at March 31, 2013, were as follows (in millions):

	Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value
Senior revolving line of credit	$	43.7	$	43.7
Senior term loan	$	150.0	$	150.0
Senior notes	$	399.6	$	422.2

The carrying amounts of all other instruments at March 31, 2013, approximate their fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments or their variable rate.

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Note 9 - Business Segments (Detail)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013
Number of Operating Segments	4

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Note 3 - Share-based Compensation (Detail) - Components of Share-based Compensation (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Pretax compensation expense	$ 9,137	$ 8,101
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Pretax compensation expense	7,203	6,745
Tax benefit	2,755	2,580
Stock option expense, net of tax	4,448	4,165
Performance Shares [Member]
Pretax compensation expense	1,571	1,125
Tax benefit	601	430
Stock option expense, net of tax	970	695
Stock Options [Member]
Pretax compensation expense	363	231
Tax benefit	139	88
Stock option expense, net of tax	$ 224	$ 143