News Release Details

Yellow Roadway Corporation Reports Second Quarter EPS Growth Over 40%

Jul 28, 2005 at 12:00 AM EDT
     -- Yellow Transportation posts highest quarterly revenue and operating
        income in history

     -- Roadway Express achieves highest second quarter revenue and operating
        income in history

     -- Meridian IQ records 10th consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue
        growth

     -- Successfully completed acquisition of USF Corporation

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Yellow Roadway Corporation (Nasdaq: YELL) today announced second quarter 2005 adjusted earnings per share ("EPS") of $1.40 compared to last year's second quarter of $.97, a 44% increase. Second quarter 2005 EPS includes $.05 per share of dilution from the company's contingent convertible notes based on an average YELL stock price of $52.06 for the quarter. No related dilution was included in the second quarter of 2004. Adjusted EPS for the second quarter 2005 excludes $.02 related to acquisition charges and losses on property disposals, which the company does not consider part of its core operations. Reported EPS for the second quarter 2005 was $1.38 per share compared to reported second quarter 2004 EPS of $.97 per share.

"We had a strong second quarter with earnings per share growth over 40% and a 130 basis point improvement in our consolidated operating ratio," stated Bill Zollars, Chairman, President and CEO of Yellow Roadway. "These results are even more impressive when considering the significant transformation we undertook during the quarter by adding the USF companies to our portfolio."

Yellow Roadway reported the following consolidated results for the second quarter of 2005:

    -- Operating revenue of $2.09 billion compared to second quarter 2004
       revenue of $1.67 billion.  The second quarter of 2005 included the
       results of the USF companies since the date of acquisition (May 25).
    -- Adjusted operating income of $138 million compared to second quarter
       2004 adjusted operating income of $88 million.  Adjustments in the
       second quarter of 2005 related to acquisition charges and property
       disposals.  Reported operating income was $136 million compared to
       reported operating income of $88 million in the second quarter of 2004.

For the six months ended June 30, 2005, Yellow Roadway reported the following consolidated results:

    -- Adjusted EPS of $2.32, up 72% compared to $1.35 for the same period
       last year.  Reported EPS of $2.34 compared to reported EPS of $1.35 for
       the same period in 2004.
    -- Operating revenue of $3.77 billion compared to $3.23 billion in the
       same period last year, a 17% increase.
    -- Adjusted operating income of $225 million compared to $130 million for
       the same period in 2004, an increase of $95 million.  Adjustments in
       2005 related to acquisition charges and property disposals.  Reported
       operating income was $226 million compared to reported operating income
       of $130 million for the same period last year.


    Selected Segment Highlights for Second Quarter 2005

"The sustained performance and operational execution of each of our brands was complemented by a good economy, firm pricing environment, and synergies," Zollars said.

    -- Yellow Transportation
       - Record quarterly revenue of $851 million, up 7.4% from second quarter
         last year
       - Record quarterly adjusted operating income of $68.6 million, up
         $22.9 million from second quarter last year.  Reported operating
         income of $68.5 million.
       - Adjusted operating ratio of 91.9%, the best of any quarter since
         third quarter 1988.  Reported operating ratio of 92.0%.
       - LTL revenue per hundred weight, excluding fuel surcharge, up 3.7%,
         and with further adjustments for business mix, up 3.9%, when compared
         to second quarter 2004


    -- Roadway Express
       - Record second quarter revenue of $831 million, up 8.2% from second
         quarter last year
       - Record second quarter adjusted operating income of $52.2 million, up
         $16.0 million from second quarter 2004.  Reported operating income of
         $51.2 million.
       - Adjusted operating ratio of 93.7% and reported operating ratio of
         93.8%
       - LTL revenue per hundred weight, excluding fuel surcharge, up 3.6%,
         and with further adjustments for business mix, up 3.9%, when compared
         to second quarter 2004


    -- Meridian IQ
       - Second quarter revenue of $96 million, up 89% from second quarter
         last year, when including USF Logistics since May 25.  Second quarter
         revenue up 38% when excluding USF Logistics.
       - Operating income of $3.6 million when including the acquisition of
         USF Logistics and $2.5 million excluding the acquisition.  Operating
         income in second quarter 2004 was $0.6 million.


    -- YRC Regional Transportation*
       - LTL revenue up 13.4% from second quarter last year (up 11.3%
         including USF Dugan)
       - LTL revenue per hundred weight, excluding fuel surcharge, up 2.2%
         when compared to second quarter 2004 (up 2.2% including USF Dugan)
       - LTL tonnage per day up 5.8% from second quarter 2004 (up 3.7%
         including USF Dugan)


    * Includes the operating companies of New Penn Motor Express, USF Bestway,
      USF Holland and USF Reddaway for the entire second quarter.

For complete statistical information, refer to the company's website at http://yellowroadway.com under Investor Relations and then select Earnings Releases & Operating Statistics.

Selected Financial Data

The company will file its second quarter Form 10Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission by August 9, 2005. Selected financial data from that filing is included below.

                                                      June 30,   December 31,
     (in thousands except percentages)                   2005           2004
     Cash and cash equivalents                        $62,395       $106,489
     Total debt                                     1,563,335        657,935
     Total shareholders' equity                     1,796,765      1,214,191
     Debt to capitalization                             46.5%          35.1%
     Debt to capitalization, less cash                  45.5%          31.2%


    Outlook

The company's future expectations, based on (among other things) real GDP growth around 3% for the second half of 2005, are as follows:

    -- Third quarter 2005 EPS between $1.60 and $1.65, including $.06 per
       share of dilution from the contingent convertibles.  The estimated
       dilution is based on the third quarter-to-date average YELL stock price
       of $53.67.
    -- Consistent with previous guidance, full year 2005 EPS in the range of
       $5.35 to $5.50, including $.24 per share of dilution from the
       contingent convertibles.  The full year estimated dilution is based on
       the year-to-date average YELL stock price of $54.41.
    -- Full year 2005 interest expense around $64 million with approximately
       $21 million in each of the third and fourth quarters.
    -- A consolidated tax rate of 38.1%.
    -- Diluted shares of 61 million for the third and fourth quarters and
       57.5 million for the full year.


    Review of Financial Results

Yellow Roadway Corporation (Nasdaq: YELL) will host a conference call for the investment community on Friday, July 29, 2005, beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET, 8:30 a.m. CT.

Investors and analysts should dial 1.888.609.3912 at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will be open to listeners through a live webcast via StreetEvents at http://streetevents.com and via the Yellow Roadway Internet site http://yellowroadway.com .

An audio playback will be available beginning two hours after the call ends until midnight on August 12, 2005 by calling 1.800.642.1687 and then entering the access code 7535342. An audio playback also will be available for 30 days after the call via the StreetEvents and Yellow Roadway web sites.

The preceding disclosures contain references to 'reported' and 'adjusted' operating income and operating ratios. For all segments, reported numbers include property gains and losses, while adjusted numbers exclude the impact of property gains and losses. Consolidated results are reported with and without property gains and losses, in addition to one-time charges related to the acquisition of USF Corporation. Management adjusts for these items when evaluating operating performance to more accurately compare the results among periods. Refer to the attached "Supplemental Financial Information" for more details.

This news release (and oral statements made regarding the subjects of this release, including on the conference call announced herein) contain forward- looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the company's actual future results could differ materially from those projected in such forward- looking statements because of a number of factors, including (without limitation), inflation, inclement weather, price and availability of fuel, competitor pricing activity, expense volatility, ability to capture cost synergies, a downturn in general or regional economic activity, changes in equity and debt markets, effects of a terrorist attack, and labor relations, including (without limitation), the impact of work rules, any obligations to multi-employer health, welfare and pension plans, wage requirements and employee satisfaction.

Yellow Roadway Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest transportation service providers in the world. Through its brands including Yellow Transportation, Roadway Express, Reimer Express, USF, New Penn Motor Express and Meridian IQ, Yellow Roadway provides a wide range of asset and non-asset-based transportation services. The portfolio of brands represents a comprehensive array of services for the shipment of industrial, commercial and retail goods domestically and internationally. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Yellow Roadway Corporation employs approximately 70,000 people.

                      STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS
                   Yellow Roadway Corporation and Subsidiaries
                For the Three Months and Six Months Ended June 30
                   (Amounts in thousands except per share data)
                                   (Unaudited)

                                       Three Months            Six Months
                                     2005        2004        2005        2004

    OPERATING REVENUE          $2,088,846  $1,674,131  $3,766,807  $3,226,266

    OPERATING EXPENSES:
      Salaries, wages and
       employees' benefits      1,237,467   1,031,120   2,270,914   2,024,670
      Operating expenses and
       supplies                   333,592     249,128     590,049     487,485
      Purchased transportation    228,331     183,384     411,984     350,648
      Depreciation and
       amortization                59,080      42,982     105,048      83,588
      Other operating expenses     92,444      79,469     164,125     150,047
      (Gains) losses on
       property disposals, net      1,250        (193)     (1,984)        269
      Acquisition charges             864           -         864           -
        Total operating
         expenses               1,953,028   1,585,890   3,541,000   3,096,707
    OPERATING INCOME              135,818      88,241     225,807     129,559

    NONOPERATING (INCOME)
     EXPENSES:
      Interest expense             14,189      11,497      22,804      23,407
      Other                        (1,316)        462        (545)        342
        Nonoperating expenses,
         net                       12,873      11,959      22,259      23,749

    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES    122,945      76,282     203,548     105,810
    INCOME TAX PROVISION           46,840      29,365      77,550      40,737
    NET INCOME                    $76,105     $46,917    $125,998     $65,073

    AVERAGE SHARES
     OUTSTANDING-BASIC             52,639      47,958      50,728      47,885
    AVERAGE SHARES
     OUTSTANDING-DILUTED           55,319      48,436      53,791      48,348
    BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE        $1.45       $0.98       $2.48       $1.36
    DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE      $1.38       $0.97       $2.34       $1.35





                      SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                 Yellow Roadway Corporation and Subsidiaries
                      For the Three Months Ended June 30
                 (Amounts in thousands except per share data)
                                 (Unaudited)

                                               Three Months
                                             2005          2004
    Operating revenue:
      Yellow Transportation               $851,152      $792,636
      Roadway Express                      830,870       768,203
      YRC Regional Transportation          314,490 (a)    64,318
      Meridian IQ                           95,642 (a)    50,640
      Corporate and other                   (3,308)       (1,666)
    Consolidated                         2,088,846     1,674,131

    Reported operating income (loss):
      Yellow Transportation                 68,491        45,719
      Roadway Express                       51,187        36,360
      YRC Regional Transportation           19,845 (a)     9,194
      Meridian IQ                            3,567 (a)       577
      Corporate and other                   (7,272)       (3,609)
    Consolidated                           135,818        88,241

    Adjustments to operating income by
     segment (b):
      Yellow Transportation                    148           (15)
      Roadway Express                        1,055          (131)
      YRC Regional Transportation              394           (42)
      Meridian IQ                                2            (5)
      Corporate and other                      515           -
    Consolidated                             2,114          (193)

    Adjusted operating income (loss):
      Yellow Transportation                 68,639        45,704
      Roadway Express                       52,242        36,229
      YRC Regional Transportation           20,239         9,152
      Meridian IQ                            3,569           572
      Corporate and other                   (6,757)       (3,609)
    Consolidated                          $137,932       $88,048

    Reported operating ratio:
      Yellow Transportation                  92.0%         94.2%
      Roadway Express                        93.8%         95.3%
      YRC Regional Transportation              n/m         85.7%
      Consolidated                           93.5%         94.7%

    Adjusted operating ratio:
      Yellow Transportation                  91.9%         94.2%
      Roadway Express                        93.7%         95.3%
      YRC Regional Transportation              n/m         85.8%
      Consolidated                           93.4%         94.7%

    Reconciliation of reported diluted
     earnings per share (EPS) to adjusted
     diluted EPS:
    Reported diluted EPS                     $1.38         $0.97
    Losses on property disposals              0.01           -
    Acquisition charges                       0.01           -
    Adjusted diluted EPS                     $1.40         $0.97



                      SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                 Yellow Roadway Corporation and Subsidiaries
                       For the Six Months Ended June 30
                 (Amounts in thousands except per share data)
                                 (Unaudited)

                                                Six Months
                                             2005          2004
    Operating revenue:
      Yellow Transportation             $1,642,318    $1,527,106
      Roadway Express                    1,597,639     1,485,341
      YRC Regional Transportation          379,904 (a)   120,422
      Meridian IQ                          152,051 (a)    96,310
      Corporate and other                   (5,105)       (2,913)
    Consolidated                         3,766,807     3,226,266

    Reported operating income (loss):
      Yellow Transportation                117,318        72,140
      Roadway Express                       88,267        51,397
      YRC Regional Transportation           27,890 (a)    14,945
      Meridian IQ                            4,608 (a)     1,162
      Corporate and other                  (12,276)      (10,085)
    Consolidated                           225,807       129,559

    Adjustments to operating income by
     segment (b):
      Yellow Transportation                 (2,512)          452
      Roadway Express                          497          (138)
      YRC Regional Transportation              371           (47)
      Meridian IQ                              -               2
      Corporate and other                      524           -
    Consolidated                            (1,120)          269

    Adjusted operating income (loss):
      Yellow Transportation                114,806        72,592
      Roadway Express                       88,764        51,259
      YRC Regional Transportation           28,261        14,898
      Meridian IQ                            4,608         1,164
      Corporate and other                  (11,752)      (10,085)
    Consolidated                          $224,687      $129,828

    Reported operating ratio:
      Yellow Transportation                  92.9%         95.3%
      Roadway Express                        94.5%         96.5%
      YRC Regional Transportation              n/m         87.6%
      Consolidated                           94.0%         96.0%

    Adjusted operating ratio:
      Yellow Transportation                  93.0%         95.2%
      Roadway Express                        94.4%         96.5%
      YRC Regional Transportation              n/m         87.6%
      Consolidated                           94.0%         96.0%

    Reconciliation of reported diluted
     EPS to adjusted diluted EPS:
    Reported diluted EPS                     $2.34         $1.35
    Gains on property disposals              (0.03)          -
    Acquisition charges                       0.01           -
    Adjusted diluted EPS                     $2.32         $1.35

    (a) Includes the revenue and operating income of USF operating companies
        since May 25, 2005, the date of acquisition.
    (b) Management excludes these items when evaluating operating income and
        segment performance to more accurately compare the results of our core
        operations among periods.  Adjustments presented in the 2005 periods
        herein consist of property gains and losses and acquisition related
        charges.  Adjustments presented in the 2004 periods herein consist
        entirely of property gains and losses.

SOURCE Yellow Roadway Corporation

CONTACT: Investors, Stephen Bruffett of Yellow Roadway Corporation, 1-913-696-6108, steve.bruffett@yellowroadway.com , or Media, Suzanne Dawson of Linden Alschuler & Kaplan, 1-212-329-1420, sdawson@lakpr.com

Web site: http://www.yellowroadway.com