The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Our quarterly report on Form 10-Q, including this discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations and our disclosures about market risk, contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions, or strategies concerning future events that, by their nature, involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about our future performance, the continuation of historical trends, the sufficiency of our sources of capital for future needs, the effects of acquisitions or dispositions, the expected impact of recently issued accounting pronouncements, and the outcome or effects of litigation. Risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations include, but are not limited to, changes in economic conditions, including uncertain consumer demand; changes in market demand and pressures on the pricing for our services; fuel price increases or decreases, or fuel shortages; competition and growth rates within the global logistics industry; freight levels and increasing costs and availability of truck capacity or alternative means of transporting freight; risks associated with significant disruptions in the transportation industry; changes in relationships with existing contracted truck, rail, ocean, and air carriers; changes in our customer base due to possible consolidation among our customers; risks with reliance on technology to operate our business; cyber-security related risks; risks associated with operations outside ofthe United States ; our ability to identify or complete suitable acquisitions; our ability to successfully integrate the operations of acquired companies with our historic operations; risks associated with litigation, including contingent auto liability and insurance coverage; risks associated with the potential impact of changes in government regulations; our ability to hire and retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel; risks associated with the changes to income tax regulations; risks associated with the produce industry, including food safety and contamination issues; the impact of war on the economy; changes to our capital structure; changes due to catastrophic events including pandemics such as COVID-19, and other risks and uncertainties, detailed in our Annual and Quarterly Reports. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from our expectations based on these and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year endedDecember 31, 2021 , filed with theSecurities and Exchange Commission onFebruary 23, 2022 as well as the updates to these risk factors included in Part II-"Item 1A, Risk Factors," herein.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update such statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date.
OVERVIEW
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. ("C.H. Robinson," "the company," "we," "us," or "our") is one of the world's largest logistics platforms. Our mission is to improve the world's supply chains through our people, processes, and technology by delivering exceptional value to our customers and suppliers. We provide freight transportation services and logistics solutions to companies of all sizes in a wide variety of industries. We operate through a network of offices inNorth America ,Europe ,Asia ,Oceania , andSouth America . We offer a global suite of services using tailored, market-leading solutions built by and for supply chain experts. Our global network of supply chain experts work with our customers to drive better supply chain outcomes by leveraging our experience, data, digital solutions, and scale. 17
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Our adjusted gross profit and adjusted gross profit margin are non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted gross profit is calculated as gross profit excluding amortization of internally developed software utilized to directly serve our customers and contracted carriers. Adjusted gross profit margin is calculated as adjusted gross profit divided by total revenues. We believe adjusted gross profit and adjusted gross profit margin are useful measures of our ability to source, add value, and sell services and products that are provided by third parties, and we consider adjusted gross profit to be a primary performance measurement. Accordingly, the discussion of our results of operations often focuses on the changes in our adjusted gross profit and adjusted gross profit margin. The reconciliation of gross profit to adjusted gross profit and gross profit margin to adjusted gross profit margin is presented below (dollars in thousands): Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 2021 Revenues: Transportation$ 6,528,351 $ 4,560,227 Sourcing 287,602 243,642 Total revenues 6,815,953 4,803,869 Costs and expenses: Purchased transportation and related services 5,650,224 3,881,285 Purchased products sourced for resale 259,533 220,204 Direct internally developed software amortization 5,734 4,647 Total direct costs 5,915,491 4,106,136 Gross profit / Gross profit margin 900,462 13.2 % 697,733 14.5 % Plus: Direct internally developed software amortization 5,734 4,647 Adjusted gross profit / Adjusted gross profit margin
Our adjusted operating margin is a non-GAAP financial measure calculated as operating income divided by adjusted gross profit. We believe adjusted operating margin is a useful measure of our profitability in comparison to our adjusted gross profit, which we consider a primary performance metric as discussed above. The reconciliation of operating margin to adjusted operating margin is presented below (dollars in thousands): Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 2021 Total revenues$ 6,815,953 $ 4,803,869 Operating income 345,474 223,329 Operating margin 5.1 % 4.6 % Adjusted gross profit$ 906,196 $ 702,380 Operating income 345,474 223,329 Adjusted operating margin 38.1 % 31.8 % 18
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MARKET TRENDS
The North American surface transportation market continues to be impacted by tight carrier capacity although the market did start to soften within the first quarter of 2022. While driver availability challenges and supply chain disruptions caused by port congestion have continued, the market has started to show signs of improvement. Moderating demand combined with capacity entering the market has resulted in purchased transportation costs declining near the end of the first quarter of 2022. Despite these declines, purchased transportation costs continue to be well above historic levels and above those in the first quarter of 2021. Industry freight volumes, as measured by the Cass Freight Index, were flat during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021. This compares to a 7.5 percent increase for the same index during the first quarter of 2021. One of the metrics we use to measure market conditions is the truckload routing guide depth from our Managed Services business. Routing guide depth represents the number of carriers contacted prior to acceptance when procuring a transportation provider. The average routing guide depth of tender in the first quarter of 2022 was 1.7, representing that on average, the first or second carrier in a shipper's routing guide was executing the shipment in most cases. This average routing guide penetration was consistent with all of 2021. Within the first quarter of 2022, this metric declined and reached 1.5 by the end of the quarter as more capacity entered the market and demand began to soften resulting in first tender rates climbing across the industry. The global forwarding market continues to be significantly impacted by supply chain disruptions caused by ongoing port congestion along with transportation equipment shortages. While port congestion remains challenging in the westernUnited States , conditions showed signs of improvement in the first quarter of 2022, as more freight continues to be diverted to the southern and easternUnited States . In addition, continued pandemic related shutdowns and the regional relocation of manufacturing inAsia have also resulted in shifts in the global supply chain and an easing of demand for ocean freight out ofChina . Demand in the air freight market showed signs of slowing in the first quarter of 2022 but remain above historic levels. Air freight conversions back to ocean freight have increased with more shippers seeking lower supply chain costs by tolerating the longer duration of ocean freight transit. Air freight capacity remains strained by a reduction of commercial flights since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the softening of demand has resulted in a decreased frequency of charter flights. BUSINESS TRENDS Our first quarter of 2022 surface transportation results benefited from the softening market conditions, as periods where the cost of purchased transportation begins to decline often result in improved adjusted gross profits per transaction in our portfolio. Industry freight volumes as measured by the Cass Freight Index were flat in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021. Industry freight volumes increased approximately 7.5 percent during the first quarter of 2021. Our combined NAST truckload and less than truckload ("LTL") volume increased 1.0 percent during the first quarter of 2022 compared to a 5.5 percent increase during the first quarter of 2021. We have continued to reprice our contractual truckload business to reflect the elevated cost environment and participate to a greater extent in the spot market. As a result of our repricing efforts and the impact of the softening market conditions, our adjusted gross profit per shipment increased and the percentage of shipments with negative adjusted gross profit margins improved significantly in the first quarter of 2022. Our average truckload linehaul cost per mile, excluding fuel costs, increased 21.0 percent during the first quarter of 2022. Our average truckload linehaul rate charged to our customers, excluding fuel surcharges, increased approximately 20.5 percent during the first quarter of 2022. In our global forwarding business, we continued to experience significant increases in purchased transportation costs for both ocean and air freight due to port congestion in addition to the equipment and labor shortages impacting the global forwarding market. This along with increased volumes has resulted in strong growth in both total revenue and cost of transportation for our ocean and air freight services. Ocean volumes increased 7.0 percent with strong growth inNorth America andEurope more than offsetting a modest decline inAsia resulting from pandemic-related shutdowns inChina . Air freight tonnage increased 10.0 percent with strong growth in all regions we serve.
On
SELECTED OPERATING PERFORMANCE AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT ITEMS
The following summarizes select first quarter 2022 year-over-year operating comparisons to the first quarter 2021:
•Total revenues increased 41.9 percent to
•Gross profits increased 29.1 percent to$900.5 million . Adjusted gross profits increased 29.0 percent to$906.2 million , primarily due to higher adjusted gross profit per transaction and higher volume across most of our services. 19
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•Personnel expenses increased 14.6 percent to
•Other selling, general, and administrative ("SG&A") expenses increased 24.7
percent to
•Income from operations totaled
•Adjusted operating margin of 38.1 percent increased 630 basis points.
•Interest and other income/expenses totaled$14.2 million , consisting primarily of$14.5 million of interest expense, which increased$2.3 million versus last year due to a higher average debt balance.
•The effective tax rate in the quarter was 18.4 percent compared to 18.3 percent in the first quarter last year.
•Diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased 60.2 percent to
•Cash flow from operations improved
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