July 15 (Reuters) - J.B. Hunt Transport Services

on Tuesday reported a drop in second-quarter earnings,

as increased expenses for wages and equipment weighed on the

U.S. trucking firm's margins.

Shares of the company were down 3.8% in extended trading.

The trucking industry has been in decline since 2022, driven

by excess capacity, falling freight rates, and modest growth in

shipment volumes.

Experts anticipate the downturn will persist, with tariffs

imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump adding pressure and

delaying recovery.

J.B. Hunt reported a 5.6% year-over-year increase in

intermodal volumes for the reported quarter, which involves

transporting goods via two or more modes of transportation,

boosting its JBI segment revenues to $1.44 billion.

However, quarterly revenue at its integrated capacity

solutions and final mile services segments fell 3.7% and 10.5%,

respectively, driven by lower demand.

The Arkansas-based company reported total operating revenue

of $2.93 billion for the quarter ended June 30, compared to

analysts' estimates of about $2.92 billion, according to data

compiled by LSEG.

Its net earnings fell to $128.6 million, or $1.31 per share,

compared to $135.9 million, or $1.32 per share, a year ago.