-- Revenues of $1.68 billion, net income of $61.5 million 
 
   -- Earnings per diluted share of $0.77 
 
   -- Absorption ratio 126.9% 
 
   -- Board declares cash dividend of $0.19 per share of Class A and Class B 
      common stock 

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rush Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: RUSHA & RUSHB), which operates the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America, today announced that for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, the Company achieved revenues of $1.68 billion and net income of $61.5 million, or $0.77 per diluted share, compared with revenues of $1.85 billion and net income of $60.3 million, or $0.73 per diluted share, in the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Additionally, the Company's Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.19 per share of Class A and Class B Common Stock, to be paid on June 10, 2026, to all shareholders of record as of May 12, 2026.

"Despite continued weakness across the commercial vehicle industry, I am proud of the way our team performed in the first quarter," said W.M. "Rusty" Rush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rush Enterprises, Inc. "We believe the first quarter represents the trough of this current downcycle, and while conditions remain challenging, we are beginning to see early indicators of gradual improvement in market conditions, which we believe will continue for the remainder of 2026," he continued.

"During the quarter, freight rates began to improve modestly, miles driven increased and customer sentiment generally improved, all of which contributed to increased new commercial vehicle quoting activity and order intake," Rush said. "However, new commercial vehicle sales during the first quarter were at historically low levels across the industry, reflecting the prolonged impact of the multi-year freight recession, excess capacity and broader economic uncertainty," he added.

"Importantly, our diversified business model once again demonstrated its resilience," Rush stated. "Our continued focus on aftermarket products and services, along with our leasing and rental operations and diligent expense management, helped support our financial performance during a quarter with significantly reduced commercial vehicle sales activity. We continue to believe that our focus on building a business that does not rely completely on truck sales has allowed us to navigate this industry downturn more effectively," he said.

"We remain confident that as market conditions improve, demand will return. We have maintained appropriate inventory levels, continued to invest in our operations and remain focused on delivering the highest level of service to our customers, all of which we believe will allow us to capture opportunities as the market recovers," Rush concluded.

Network Expansion

During the first quarter of 2026, the Company signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire Peterbilt dealerships in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans and Houma, Louisiana, as well as a Peterbilt dealership in McComb, Mississippi and a TRP location in Columbia, Mississippi. The Company expects to complete this acquisition and begin operating these locations as Rush Truck Centers in the next few months.

"This acquisition reflects our continued focus on expanding our network in strategic markets and broadening the solutions we offer our customers, " said Rush. "By growing our footprint, we believe we are strengthening our ability to support customers, capture market share and position the Company for long-term growth," Rush stated.

Aftermarket Products and Services

Aftermarket products and services accounted for approximately 66.1% of the Company's total gross profit in the first quarter of 2026, with parts, service and collision center revenues totaling $627.2 million, up 1.3% compared to the first quarter of 2025. The Company achieved a quarterly absorption ratio of 126.9% in the first quarter of 2026, compared to 128.6% in the first quarter of 2025.

"Our aftermarket business delivered solid first-quarter performance despite continued softness across much of the industry," Rush said. "While demand remained subdued in several customer segments, we achieved modest growth, reflecting the strength of our customer relationships and our focus on expanding our customer base. Although macroeconomic factors have continued to pressure aftermarket demand, we are beginning to see encouraging indicators of improving market conditions, including increases in both freight activity and miles driven, which we believe will support higher parts and service demand as deferred maintenance is addressed," he added.

"We also believe certain of our aftermarket strategic initiatives, including enhanced inspection processes, improved parts delivery operations, and a continued emphasis on customer uptime, are gaining traction across our network and contributing to our success," Rush said. "Looking ahead, we expect aftermarket demand to gradually improve through the remainder of 2026 as fleet utilization increases and customers reinvest in their equipment, positioning our aftermarket business as a key driver of stability and profitability for the Company, " he stated.

Commercial Vehicle Sales

New U.S. Class 8 retail truck sales totaled 41,023 units in the first quarter of 2026, down 21.0% compared to the first quarter of 2025, according to ACT Research. The Company sold 2,964 new Class 8 trucks in the U.S. during the first quarter, a decrease of 6.0% compared to the same time period in 2025 and accounted for 7.2% of the new U.S. Class 8 truck market. ACT Research forecasts U.S. retail sales of new Class 8 trucks to total 224,800 units in 2026, a 5.7% increase compared to 2025. The Company sold 71 new Class 8 trucks in Canada during the first quarter of 2026 and accounted for 1.5% of the new Canadian Class 8 truck market.

"Industry conditions for new commercial vehicle sales remained challenging in the first quarter, with industry-wide retail sales at their lowest levels since 2020 with respect to new Class 8 truck sales and 2015 with respect to new Class 4-7 commercial vehicle sales," Rush said. "Despite the difficult operating conditions, we were able to significantly outperform the market in new Class 8 truck sales. Our performance during the first quarter was driven by strong execution, appropriate inventory levels and the diversity of our customer base," he continued.

"We saw strong order intake and increased quoting activity throughout the quarter, particularly among large fleet customers," Rush said. "We believe the increase in new Class 8 truck orders during the quarter was primarily due to improving freight conditions and the upcoming change in emissions regulations. While uncertainty related to economic conditions and global events, along with significantly increased fuel prices, is weighing on the market, we believe that customer sentiment is improving, despite these headwinds, and we are encouraged by the level of engagement we are experiencing," he added.

New U.S. Class 4-7 retail commercial vehicle sales totaled 49,079 units in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 13.9% compared to the first quarter of 2025, according to ACT Research. The Company sold 2,035 new Class 4-7 medium-duty commercial vehicles in the U.S. during the quarter, down 36.5% compared to the first quarter of 2025, and accounted for 4.1% of the total new U.S. Class 4-7 commercial vehicle market. ACT Research forecasts U.S. retail sales for new Class 4 through 7 commercial vehicles to be approximately 200,500 units in 2026, relatively flat compared to 2025. The Company sold 134 Class 5-7 commercial vehicles in Canada during the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 4.1% of the new Canadian Class 5-7 commercial vehicle market.

"Our medium-duty results were impacted by the timing of customer orders and deliveries, particularly among a number of our large fleet customers. Normally, our large medium-duty fleet customers place their orders in the fourth quarter for vehicles that are expected to be delivered in the coming year. However, we did not see that activity in the fourth quarter of 2025. Instead, our larger medium-duty fleet customers began asking for quotes and ordering vehicles in the first quarter of 2026," Rush explained. "Given the level of quoting, ordering and general customer engagement that we have experienced since the beginning of the year, we expect our medium-duty sales to improve as the year progresses and to be roughly in line with our sales during 2025," he noted.

The Company sold 1,865 used commercial vehicles in the first quarter of 2026, a 5.4% increase compared to the first quarter of 2025. "In the used truck market, we saw improving demand late in the quarter, driven by strengthening spot rates and tightening capacity," Rush stated. "We believe this momentum will continue as market conditions improve," he said.

"Overall, we expect commercial vehicle sales to improve gradually beginning in the second quarter, with a more meaningful recovery in the second half of the year. As customer confidence returns and vehicle replacement cycles resume, we believe we are well positioned to capture increased demand," Rush concluded.

Leasing and Rental

Leasing and Rental revenue in the first quarter of 2026 was $92.3 million, up 2.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025. "Our leasing and rental business delivered solid performance in the first quarter, driven by continued strength in our full-service leasing operations," Rush said. "Leasing demand remains healthy, as customers look to replace aging equipment and position themselves ahead of anticipated future cost increases associated with engine emissions regulations," he continued.

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