Forward Air Named 2026 Surface Carrier of the Year
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2 hours ago
0mins
Should l Buy FWRD?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Industry Recognition: Forward Air has been named the 2026 Surface Carrier of the Year by the Airforwarders Association, highlighting its leadership position in the air cargo and logistics sector and further solidifying its competitive edge in the market.
- Customer Feedback: This award is based on direct member feedback regarding service performance, responsiveness, and partnership, indicating that Forward Air remains a reliable solutions provider even during challenging industry cycles, thereby enhancing customer trust.
- Team Performance: CEO Shawn Stewart emphasized that this award reflects the exceptional execution and service quality of the team, demonstrating Forward Air's ongoing commitment to meeting customer needs and delivering exceptional service.
- Diverse Services: Forward Air offers a range of transportation services, including expedited less-than-truckload services, warehousing, and customs brokerage, showcasing its comprehensive capabilities as a transportation service provider and driving business growth.
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Analyst Views on FWRD
Wall Street analysts forecast FWRD stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 25.280
Low
32.00
Averages
38.50
High
45.00
Current: 25.280
Low
32.00
Averages
38.50
High
45.00
About FWRD
Forward Air Corporation is an asset-light provider of transportation services across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Its Expedited Freight segment provides expedited regional, inter-regional and national less-than-truckload (LTL) services. Expedited Freight also offers customers local pick-up and delivery and other services including truckload, shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage and other handling. The Omni Logistics segment provides a full suite of global logistics services. Services include air and ocean freight consolidation and forwarding, customs brokerage, warehousing and distribution, time-definite transportation services and other supply chain solutions. The Intermodal segment provides first- and last-mile high-value intermodal container drayage services both to and from seaports and railheads. Intermodal also offers dedicated contract and CFS warehouse and handling services, and in select locations, linehaul and LTL services.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Industry Recognition: Forward Air has been named the 2026 Surface Carrier of the Year by the Airforwarders Association, highlighting its leadership in the air cargo and logistics sector and enhancing trust among customers and partners.
- Customer Feedback: This award is based on direct member feedback regarding service performance, responsiveness, and partnership, indicating that Forward Air maintains high service quality and customer satisfaction even during challenging industry cycles.
- Network Advantage: Forward Air leverages its extensive ground network to provide expedited transportation services, ensuring the integrity of clients' air freight schedules, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in a fiercely contested market.
- Diverse Services: The company offers not only expedited less-than-truckload services but also shipment consolidation, warehousing, and customs brokerage, further solidifying its position as a comprehensive transportation service provider.
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- Industry Recognition: Forward Air has been named the 2026 Surface Carrier of the Year by the Airforwarders Association, highlighting its leadership in the air cargo and logistics sector, which enhances brand image and market competitiveness.
- Customer Feedback: This award is based on direct member feedback regarding service performance, responsiveness, and partnership, indicating that Forward Air maintains high service quality even during challenging industry cycles, thereby strengthening customer trust.
- Network Advantage: The expedited ground network provided by Forward Air ensures timely delivery of air freight, supporting customer shipping needs and enhancing customer satisfaction and market share.
- Diverse Services: As a leading asset-light transportation service provider, Forward Air offers a range of services including expedited shipping, warehousing, and customs brokerage, further solidifying its market position in North America and Latin America.
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- Industry Recognition: Forward Air has been named the 2026 Surface Carrier of the Year by the Airforwarders Association, highlighting its leadership position in the air cargo and logistics sector and further solidifying its competitive edge in the market.
- Customer Feedback: This award is based on direct member feedback regarding service performance, responsiveness, and partnership, indicating that Forward Air remains a reliable solutions provider even during challenging industry cycles, thereby enhancing customer trust.
- Team Performance: CEO Shawn Stewart emphasized that this award reflects the exceptional execution and service quality of the team, demonstrating Forward Air's ongoing commitment to meeting customer needs and delivering exceptional service.
- Diverse Services: Forward Air offers a range of transportation services, including expedited less-than-truckload services, warehousing, and customs brokerage, showcasing its comprehensive capabilities as a transportation service provider and driving business growth.
See More
- Stable Financial Performance: For 2025, Forward Air reported consolidated EBITDA of $307 million, nearly matching 2024's $311 million, with Q4 EBITDA rising to $77 million from $72 million year-over-year, indicating the company's ability to maintain profitability amid challenging logistics conditions.
- Operational Integration Progress: In 2025, the company unified its U.S. domestic operations under the
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- Earnings Performance: Forward Air's Q4 2025 GAAP EPS of -$0.91 missed expectations by $0.43, indicating pressure on profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Overview: The fourth-quarter revenue of $631.2M represents a 0.3% year-over-year decline, although it beat estimates by $1.6M, the ongoing revenue drop poses challenges for future growth.
- Liquidity Assessment: At the end of Q4, the company's liquidity stood at $367M, comprising $106M in cash and $261M in credit availability, down from $382M at the end of 2024, highlighting the urgency of liquidity management.
- Cash Flow Improvement: Cash provided by operating activities was $44M in 2025, compared to cash used of -$69M in 2024, reflecting a $113M year-over-year improvement, suggesting enhanced operational efficiency that may lay the groundwork for future financial stability.
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- Safe Work Environment: Through continuous training and compliance, roadway incidents decreased by nearly 12% in 2024, down 42% from 2019, which not only enhances employee safety but also bolsters the company's reputation in the industry.
- Environmental Impact Monitoring: Forward Air has set a goal to reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030, indicating a long-term commitment to sustainability that is expected to attract more environmentally conscious customers.
- Excellence in Customer Service: The company received the 2024 International and Domestic Forwarder of the Year award, reflecting its strong capabilities in customer service and operational excellence, which further solidifies trust with clients.
- Community Impact: The company raised $526,000 at the 2025 Drive for Hope event for Hope For The Warriors, showcasing its commitment to community responsibility and active participation, thereby enhancing its brand image.
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