Arkansas Best to Shed Clipper LTL

Some details related to the sale and costs associated with Clipper's departure from the LTL business will be finalized at or near closing, so final earnings impact of this transaction has not been determined, company officials said. However, the impact is not expected to be material. Through the first nine months of 2003, revenues generated by Clipper's LTL division were $26.7 million.

Upon the completion of the sale, Arkansas Best will continue to own Clipper Exxpress and Clipper Controlled Logistics which will maintain their businesses in the full load intermodal, brokerage and temperature-controlled segments. Through the first nine months of 2003, the revenues generated by Clipper's remaining businesses were $68.8 million.