may be disguising significant shifts in pricing for U.S. domestic freight operators. J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., the first big freight operator to report on the first quarter, posted a better-than-expected 8.9% boost in profit in the first three months of the year, helped by revenue gains across segments,the WSJ’s Anne Steele reports. Fuel was a mixed bag for J.B. Hunt—expenses fell 27%, but fuel surcharge revenue tumbled 42% from a year ago. Plentiful capacity in trucking appeared to take a toll, with revenue there up 5% as fleet size expanded 12%. The bigger intermodal segment also was under pressure, with loads growing well ahead of revenue. Industry analysts say freight railroads are showing strong pricing discipline in the intermodal arena, suggesting the carriers aren’t worried about an ongoing decline in their truck-to-rail business.

Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/todays-top-supply-chain-and-logistics-news-from-wsj-1461061171