CH Robinson Q4 Gross Profit Up 17%

CH Robinson Worldwide, a third-party logistics company, has reported that its total transportation gross profits increased 17% to $288 million in the fourth quarter of 2007 from $246.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.

For the full year 2007, the company’s transportation gross profit margin decreased to 17.7% from 18.3% in 2006 due to gross profit margin declines in several of the transportation modes.

For the fourth quarter, operating expenses increased 12.9% to $189.9 million in 2007 from $168.1 million in 2006. This was due to an increase of 11.9% in personnel expenses and an increase of 16.4% in selling, general and administrative expenses. As a percentage of gross profits, total operating expenses decreased to 58.8% in the fourth quarter of 2007 from 60.4% in the fourth quarter of 2006.